The Princess and the Thief
by MTL76
Summary: Set approximately one year after Sozin's Comet. The war is over, peace reigns, and Azula is locked up. But sinister forces conspire to free her...
1. Chapter 1: The Job

**The Princess and The Thief**

**Author's Note: This is set approximately one year after the events of Sozin's Comet. The first chapter is an intro of sorts, with new characters, and serves as a set up for the rest of the story; more familiar characters turn up in the second chapter. This is my first fanfic, so please read, review and (hopefully) enjoy! Also, thanks to everyone who has given me constructive criticism!  
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**Chapter 1: The Job**

The Earth Kingdom saloon was almost empty. The sun had long set on Ba Sing Se, and the evening rush of the Lower Ring workers had come and gone. Those that were left had no home to go to, and just enough money to try and delay the inevitable lonely night ahead on the streets. In the darkest corner of the tavern was a table illuminated with a single candle. Sitting at the table were two men. One was older and dressed in the garb of a nobleman. He was thin but not frail, with a shaved head and face, and his eyes were cold and reserved. His hands were resting comfortably in front of him like two sleeping spiders. His clothing may have drawn attention were it not for the presence of his younger companion, whose countenance brooked no interruptions. The younger man's face was heavily scarred from previous nights in similar bars, partially covered by an unkempt beard and crowned by long black hair barely restrained in a topknot. His clothing could be found on any highwayman in the world, and that was precisely what he was. He looked well-muscled and dangerous, like a tightly coiled spring, and had the air of someone who was used to quick violence. Across from them was a third, empty chair.

The younger man shifted his weight. "He's late", he spat out. Contrary to his features, his accent betrayed an educated past, an idiosyncrasy that was jarring to those who did not know him.

"No, he isn't, Paiko. Calm yourself," The older man replied without emotion.

This clearly was not the response the younger man desired, but he deferred to colleague. "Master Fen Long…with all due respect…we don't need him. Why involve an outsider? I could easily…"

The older man cut him off without any sign of irritation, though he was clearly one who was unused to explaining himself. "No you could not. This is not a job for brute force. Our target is one of the most highly guarded figures in the entire Fire Nation. The Fire Lord himself would be easier to reach. And we must not reveal ourselves too soon. We play a dangerous game, a very dangerous game…and the Master will not tolerate failure. We need someone with subtlety, someone with experience, someone…

"Someone expensive?"

They both turned. Before them stood a slight, wiry teenager dressed in simple black clothing. The only thing noticeable about him was that he was so unremarkable. He has the kind of face which was instantly forgotten, punctuated only by a knowing smile which implied experience beyond his years. His spiky black hair was held back by a dark red bandana, his only adornment. _Quiet, this one,_ Fen Long noted to himself. _Paiko didn't hear him. Good. He'll need to be quiet._

"You're late," snarled Paiko, not pleased at having been surprised. He looked the newcomer over. He quickly recognized that the youngster was unarmed. The stranger looked tiny compared to himself. _This is who we've been waiting for? This is on whom our plans depend? He's barely more than a child. _

The young man looked at him with laughing eyes. "We just covered that, buddy. I'm right on time. I could draw you a picture if that'll help, but I guess you're in a rush." The young man stood there smiling, as if he were talking to two old friends he had just seen after several years apart.

Paiko's hand drops to the sword at his side without a sound. Plan or no, he would cut him down. No one here would stop him. He had done so for far less. _We'll find someone else to bring her to us. He's just a boy._

Fen Long's hand dropped onto Paiko's arm with surprising speed. "Hold, Paiko." He turned to the newcomer. "I assume you are Nazumi. Please, have a seat. Forgive my colleague, he…is anxious to discuss our affairs. All the same, you would do best to refrain from antagonizing him."

Nazumi slid into the chair, resting casually with his hands laced in back of his head. "Of course, your lordship." He continued to grin. "I bet he's a real hit with the other psychopaths." Paiko stared into the flame of the candle, coldly. He would not lose his discipline again, but it was clearly costing him. Nazumi relaxed, unperturbed at being within arm's length of the man.

_He's either very foolish, very good, or both,_ mused Fen Long. _Either way we can use him._

The dark-clad teenager turned to Fen Long. "Anyway, to business, eh? My contact told me you need something stolen. He also told me that time was a factor, and that money wasn't. Whenever I hear that, my gut usually tells me I'm dealing with a cop. You a cop, your highness?"

Fen Long returned Nazumi's look dispassionately. He was unused to being spoken to in such a manner, but in the pursuit of his goals he had learned to accept all manner of indignities. _Yes, we will use you, my young friend. By merely showing up here you have doomed yourself. But we will use you. _"I assure you, I am as undesirable of the involvement of the authorities as you are, my young friend." He then went silent, waiting for Nazumi's curiosity to cause the younger man to speak. Observing him, he wondered how difficult it would be to get him to perform as expected. Would he need to resort to threats? Intimidation? Greed?

Nazumi broke the silence. "I admit, I'm curious. I just came to see how far the police are willing go to catch me. Let me guess, you bring me in and you make captain, right?" He casually pulled a coin from a hidden side pocket and began flipping it along his fingers. Despite his statement, he seemed completely at ease, as if broadcasting that he had escaped similar situations in the past with little difficulty.

"Your caution is admirable, but you must understand our need for secrecy. There are certain…political considerations which make we must pay heed to. Because of these considerations, my organization is not entirely…certain of your willingness to perform this task. 

Nor of your…ability to do so." Fen Long again fell silent, waiting to see how his implication would be answered.

Nazumi continued to flip the coin, and his smile remained unchanged, but his eyes told a different story. "Let's get something straight, 'my lord.' You know who I am, or you wouldn't have contacted me. You know what I'm capable of. I'm Nazumi the Mouse. I'm the best thief in all of Ba Sing Se. Best there ever was, is, or will be. And I don't play politics."

Fen Long remained outwardly impassive, but rejoiced inside. _I have you my friend. Easy, all too easy. _His tone shifted to one that was slightly apologetic. _"_All this we know. Your reputation precedes you. 

And the fact that you have never been caught during your…career, despite the best efforts of the local police, this has not been overlooked. And your…neutrality regarding the present political climate is of _great_ interest to us. But you see, what assurances do we have that you will take the job once I tell you the terms? What will prevent you from, say, informing the authorities about our intentions?"

Nazumi relaxed. _We're back on familiar territory, _he thought to himself. He was used to suspicious clients in his line of work. People who had never stepped outside the law before, who thought that the whole world would sit up and take notice that they were engaging in something, anything illegal. Amateurs. "Don't worry, your courtliness. I'm the MOUSE, not THE RAT. If I don't like the story, I'll just walk away. Besides, I'm sure your friend here can think of a few ways to keep me quiet. What's the job?.

Paiko grunted. Inwardly, he was no longer angry at the young thief, just amused at how quickly Fen Long had brought him into the fold. _Whether Nazumi realized it or not_, he thought, _he has already taken the job._ All that was left were mere details. And when the job was over and Nazumi was of no further use, then there would be a settling of accounts. As there always was.

Fen Long stared at Nazumi, as if thinking over what the young thief had said, and then gave him a slight nod. "Very well," he said. "Very well. Yes. As you know, the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai has brought considerable change to the Fire Nation, as well as the rest of the world. Considerable change. There are many of us who are not pleased with the current direction of our homeland. Indeed, we have found the climate so disagreeable that we have had to remove ourselves from our native soil for fear of our lives."

Fen Long leaned in, looking for some reaction from Nazumi, but the thief almost seamed bored. He continued, his voice dropping. "My colleague and I represent a group of Fire Nation nobles and soldiers that reject the current regime. We do not swear allegiance to the pretender who currently sits upon the throne. We do not prostrate ourselves before the so-called Avatar. We seek to restore the Fire Nation to the greatness that it so recently embodied, and take back what is rightfully ours."

Nazumi continued to look impassively at the older man. He was used to speeches such as these. They held little interest for him.

Seeing that Nazumi did not show any reaction, Fen Long continued. "We wish to hire you…to liberate daughter of the dragon, Princess Azula, from her prison in the Fire Nation. We wish you to deliver her here, to us, in Ba Sing Se, so that we may restore her to the throne and retake what has been lost. And we wish this to be done immediately, so we may begin planning the insurrection."

Nazumi's eyes dilated slightly, and the coin fell out of his hand, striking the table and rolling to the floor. He looked at the bald man, truly surprised. The princess had not been heard from in two years, since the defeat of the Fire Nation by the Avatar and his allies. Of course, there were rumors. There always were. People said she was killed in an Agni Kai by her brother, and quietly buried in an unmarked grave. Others said she was banished to the Spirit World by the Avatar, never to be seen again. It was sometimes said she was being held prisoner in the dreaded imperial prison of Kangoku, located near the palace of the Fire Lord and reserved for only the most despised prisoners, those whom the Fire Lord wished to personally keep an eye on. _That's the most plausible one, _he thought, _if it's true._ He shuddered inwardly. During the reign of Ozai, Kangoku had been notorious throughout the underworld community. The only escape, it was said, was through death.

"You…" Nazumi stuttered. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't even know where she is. She's been missing since the end of the war. No one knows if she's even alive, and if she is, she's where no one can get to her."

"Wrong, my young friend. We know EXACTLY where she is. She is NOT in Kangoku, as you imply, though her father is. This is known to us. Shortly after the war, the princess was quietly transferred to a temple on the northern peninsula of the Fire Nation, in order to recover from her Agni Kai with her brother. An isolated place, reserved for disgraced nobility. Make no mistake, it is a hospital of sorts, but it is also a prison, and she is a prisoner. And to be sure, the facility is almost as well guarded as Kangoku. And therein is our difficulty. And that brings us to you."

Nazumi sat in silence. He looked at the two men across from him. Paiko was grinning like a shark who had tasted first blood, clearly relishing the tension that Nazumi could not hide. Fen Long's expression looked as if it was carved from stone, but his eyes burned like embers.

_Could I do it? Impossible. Even if we got away, the entire Fire Nation would be after us. And we wouldn't get away. As well guarded as Kangoku. It could never work. There's no way…_He closed his eyes. _But I wouldn't have to last long. I just have to deliver her to Ba Sing Se, and then she's their problem. Everyone would be so busy looking for her that I could fade away…leave them to their war…ALMOST as well guarded…_

As if he read Nazumi's mind, Fen Long added, "Of course, upon delivery of the princess your services would no longer be required. And you'll be handsomely rewarded, as any true patriot would be. Five thousand gold pieces now; an additional fifteen once you bring the princess to us. I suspect you could enter an early retirement, if you so wished."

Paiko's smile increased. All men had weaknesses; this one's was pride and greed. Fen Long had found them, and the trap was sprung. All the same, he almost hoped the thief turned down the 

mission. He would be dead before the words left his mouth. _Ahhh, you'll enter retirement, but not the one you'll be expecting, you fool. But no need for you to know that now. Refuse and die now; do the Master's bidding and die later. _

Nazumi's head swam at the numbers. Retire? He could buy his own island with that much money. He would be untouchable. He wouldn't be able to spend so much in three lifetimes…but he would not be Nazumi the Mouse if he did not press his advantage. And the odds of him collecting his fee were slim. This was all but a suicide mission, and he needed the prospect of more gold to bolster his courage.

"Ten thousand now," he whispered with effort, as if there were a weight on his chest, "and twenty on delivery. I'm no patriot." He almost wished the old man would refuse, the risks were so great, but knew he would not.

Fen Long stroked his chin thoughtfully. Inside, he was pleased. He would gladly have paid ten times as much, sacrificed anything and anyone to get what he wanted. What was money compared to the desires of his Master? If the thief was successful, such things would no longer matter. _But the game must be played_, he thought, _or he'll be suspicious. Young fool._

"Our resources are limited. We are preparing for war. But I recognize the dangers to yourself…your desire for adequate…compensation." Fen Long squirmed, looking as if he would have to sell his lifeblood to raise the money. "Very well. We agree to your terms. But if you fail…you will know our displeasure. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

Nazumi nodded. If he failed, he'd have more to worry about than Paiku's sword. Oddly, he felt himself wishing for an instant that the two men WERE police, that at this moment the local guards would come in and arrest him. But the instant passed. Already his mind was racing. _It won't be easy. But anything can be done. Nothing is inescapable. I'm living proof of that._

"I accept. I'll need supplies, equipment, plans of the temple…"

"Very well. My colleague here will arrange your payment and the rest, andgive you instructions as to when and where the princess shall be delivered. Please await him outside. Remember the consequences of failure. Our reach is far."

Nazumi stood. He looked briefly at the two older men, started to say something, thought better of it, and then left them.

Paiko chuckled, once Nazumi had left. "My lord, I am most impressed, as always. Very well played. But can you be sure that he…?"

Fen Long looked at Paiko coldly. "Of course not. Nothing is for certain. Nothing except the punishment of our Master should we fail. Still, I have no doubt he represents our best chance of success. I know his type. He wants his money, and will do anything to get it, regardless of the consequences. He will bring us the princess. And rest assured, afterwards he is yours."

**Next: Dreams**


	2. Chapter 2: Dreams

**Previously: Nazumi the Mouse, a thief from Ba Sing Se, has been hired by mysterious forces to free Princess Azula from a secret prison. But what has become of Azula in the past year?**

**Chapter 2: Dreams**

Nazumi gazed at the temple from his treetop perch. It was two weeks since his meeting in the saloon. Since then, he had been busy preparing for tonight's events and for the mad dash back to Ba Sing Se that would follow. _Hopefully._ He looked up at the rapidly setting sun. He knew he would have to make the most of the cover of darkness. Still, he hesitated. Superstitiously, he felt he should always wait for that odd feeling in his gut that would let him know the time to start was here. Something would subtly click into place, and everything would look clearer. As he waited for the moment to reveal itself, he went over the plan once more, double checking his equipment. He carried a larger pack than he usually did, but would need its contents in order to throw off pursuit. _Assuming I make it out of here to get pursued._ _Assuming I make it inside at all. _He closed his eyes. The wind roared pat his ears, drowning out his thoughts. Just as suddenly it died down, and he looked again down below at the temple. It was unchanged. But below the surface… Was this the moment? _It had better be._ Noiselessly, he descended his post and approached the walls in darkness.

_Zuko's smoking body lies at my feet. His eyes look up at mine, staring right through me. Is he still alive? I turn my attention to the waterbender girl. She's grown in skill since we first met, but even without the comet, she'd be no match for me. I leap to the roof and send a blast of blue flame in her direction. It's almost effortless; the rush of power from the comet is intoxicating. I feel myself losing control, letting the comet's will take over. It wants to burn the girl, my brother, the entire world to ashes. It scares me. I wonder, is this what Sozin felt? Is this what my father is feeling? It would be so easy to give in…_

_My enemy has hidden herself down below, and I pursue her. When I find her, she turns to face me, no longer trying to run. Today our destinies are intertwined, a fiery trail blazing through the heavens. Suddenly, I feel a rush of cold beneath me. A wall of ice leaps up around us both. If it were any other day, I would have been frozen where I stand. But the anger of the comet will not be denied. My fire burns the ice as it forms, covering us in steam. As it clears, I see her huddled over my brother's body, screaming something. I can't hear her, can't hear anything over the raw energy coursing through me. I'm afraid. I find myself wanting to stop, to let her take my brother and return to her tribe, but the comet's power won't let me, it forces me forward. It HUNGERS. She looks up at me, resignation in her face. My arm rises against my will and I realize I am crying. Flames spring forth from my hand and consume them. I'm screaming and I can't stop. But the fire will no longer obey me. Expanding exponentially, the flames engulf the courtyard, the city, spread across the world until all that is left is pure white light…_

Azula's eyes snapped open, her body covered in sweat. _Where am I? What happened? My brother..._She put her hands to her head, and reality slowly crept in. _No…another dream. Or is this the dream?_ She could no longer tell. The last thing she truly remembered was her brother's sudden entrance during her coronation, the Agni Ki, then…nothing. Only vague memories…people crying over her…darkness…eventually, she had awoken in this place. How 

long ago had it been? A month? Two? Time held no meaning for her, as she drifted between sleep and wakening. Various caretakers would come and go, days would blend into nights. Had her brother visited her here? Or was he dead, and was she right now sleeping in the palace of the Fire Lord, dreaming she was a prisoner? _I don't know what's real anymore…_ She looked around her now-familiar room. Even by royal standards it was enormous. She lay in a large bed in the center of the room, surrounded by opulence. From the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling to the intricate Water Tribe rug spread across the cavernous floor, her residence had all the appearance of a palatial estate. The only thing indicating the true nature of her chamber was the ugly iron door that was set into the far wall, sealed and locked from the outside. It made plain that despite all other appearances, this was a cell, no different at its core than any other.

"You disappoint me, daughter. I placed all of my hopes in you…and look at you now."

Azula turned, her eyes wide, and saw her father standing before her. "You…you're not really there, father. You can't be there. Don't you see? Either I'm Zuko's prisoner, and you're just an illusion, or I'm the Fire Lord and all of this is a dream…just a dream…" She placed her head in her hands, shuddering. Of all of the spectral visitors she received, Ursa, Zuko, the Avatar…she dreaded her father's the most.

The apparition of Ozai flared before her. "Just a dream, eh? Maybe so, but I'm all that you have left. All of your ambitions and schemes, your thirst for power, and look at what you've become. An empty shell. A pathetic cliché."

"No, father," the words barely escaping her lips. "YOUR ambitions. YOUR thirst for power. You and Azulon, and mad old Sozin. Don't you see? You've destroyed us…you've destroyed me…your only daughter."

She expected Ozai to fade away, as he usually did, but tonight he would not be denied. "You destroyed YOURSELF! Through your WEAKNESS! You're no daughter of mine! There's nothing of me in you! NOTHING!"

Azula clutched her head tighter, praying for Ozai to disappear. Eventually, she felt a change in the room, and opening her eyes she realized she was alone. _He wasn't real. He CAN'T be._ She slowly exhaled, forcing herself to become calm. _I have to get out of here._ _If not now, then never._ Whether she was dreaming or not, she needed to escape before Ozai came back. Despite her mysterious caregivers, or maybe because of them, the apparitions were coming more frequently, and each time they were angrier, more real, harder to ignore. Slowly, on shaking legs, she got up from her bed and put on a long red robe. She looked across the length of the room, and willing one foot in front of the other, she slowly approached the iron door. Looking at it, she couldn't help but think that she had tried this before, many times before. She suddenly realized that she had no idea what lay beyond the door. Would it be the Royal Palace? The Boiling Rock? It didn't matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was escape. Reaching down into herself, she willed the fire to come forth, and released…

…nothing. She looked in horror at her hands. Once again, she called to the fire, begged it, cursed at it, but it would not respond. Screaming, she threw herself at the door, pounding it with her fists, 

hoping that somehow this would produce the flame that had been her truest companion since childhood. 

Sobbing, she dropped to the floor. Gradually, her eyes became heavy. Her arms and legs felt as if they were dipped in lead. _I'm so tired…so tired._ She looked around herself. Why was she on the floor? She was supposed to do something, but…she couldn't remember. She just wanted to sleep. She staggered towards her bed, trying to recall what she was trying to do, but her memories escaped her like smoke slipping through her fingers. She collapsed into her bed and closed her eyes, and began to dream…

…_Zuko's smoking body lies at my feet. His eyes look up at mine, staring right through me. Is he still alive? _

"Sad, isn't it?"

The guard turned from the iron door towards the older man who had addressed him. "Forgive me, Doctor. I didn't mean to call you unnecessarily. It's just…I heard the screaming, and I…" He trailed off. His training hadn't prepared him for this. He was a soldier, not a jailor.

"Please, don't apologize, Sergeant Renzo," sighed the old man. "I've found that as I get older, I only sleep a few hours a day anyway." The doctor closed the spy hole in the iron door through which he viewed the now-sleeping princess. "Our guest here must be envious. Poor girl. Dreams can be a curse…" The doctor trailed off, looking into space. He then seemed to remember where he was, and smiled sadly at the guard. "You just transferred in, didn't you Sergeant?"

"Yes, Doctor Tomai. Last week. From the Yu Yan Archers, third regiment." Though not a boastful man, Renzo couldn't help adding this last part. A year ago, he had been one of the elite soldiers of the Fire Nation. Now, with the war over, there was not as much need for soldiers, elite or otherwise. It was either retire, or take whatever posting one was assigned.

Doctor Tomai nodded. Though not in the military himself, he had been treating soldiers his whole life, and was familiar with Renzo's old unit. "I'm afraid your talents will be wasted here, young man. As you can see, our efforts to restore the princess to health have been largely unsuccessful to date. She spends her days speaking to people from her past, and her nights in fitful sleep. These episodes of screaming," he gestured to the door, "are unfortunately not uncommon. I've found that trying to calm her down only makes her worse. She eventually tires herself out." They began walking down the hallway away from the door, the doctor leaning heavily on his cane. "The Fire Lord has spared no expense in providing for her, but I'm afraid I've failed to help his sister."

The soldier thought back to what he just saw. "Doctor, I'm not a bender, but…it looked to me like that's what she was trying to do. Do we need to transfer her to a cold cell?"

Tomai. "No, there's no need. It's very curious. I don't know if it's a symptom of her delirium or a cause, but she hasn't been able to bend since she was brought here. She tries, from time to time."

"I've heard rumors…well, I've heard that the Avatar learned to take away the ability to bend, that that's what happened to Fi-…to Ozai, sir." Renzo looked down, ashamed at his slip. Even after a year, he couldn't help but think of Ozai as the Fire Lord.

The doctor looked up at the soldier and laughed quietly. "Careful, Sergeant. You won't get promoted speaking like that." Seeing the discomfort in the younger man's face, he clapped him on the back. 'Don't worry, I'm just joking. And yes, you're correct about Ozai. But that wasn't done with the princess. In a sense, the ability to bend was all that she had left. It was thought at the time that to take it away from her would be needlessly cruel…and now it's unnecessary."

"If that's the case, doctor…well, I'm afraid I don't understand why the Fire Lord keeps his sister so well guarded. We have a whole garrison here; airships, cavalry…what's the point? Are we meant to…?

Tomai interrupted. "Are you asking if you're wasting your time, guarding a powerless, incoherent teenage girl?" The old man coughed. "Perhaps you are. Or maybe… all of us - you, me, the princess, even the Fire Lord -maybe we're all paying penance for the war. Maybe we're all prisoners of our past lives."

As the doctor and the soldier walked past him, Nazumi held his breath, willing himself to blend in to the shadows that surrounded him. It had taken him several hours to infiltrate the temple compound, and another two to prepare for his escape. He knew the sun would soon be up, and that his plan revolved around putting the temple at his back before then. He was exhausted, his nerves were frayed, and his reserves of courage were long since spent. The temple had been more heavily guarded than he had expected, and he knew in his heart that he had finally bitten off more than he could chew. _I really fell for my own act this time. Nazumi the Mouse. What an idiot I am. I'll be lucky to even SEE daylight again._ Not for the first time tonight he contemplated the very real possibility of spending the rest of his life in a place such as this. Unlike most of those who shared his profession, he had no illusions as to his precarious position in life. Prisons were full of thieves and bandits who thought they were one step ahead of the rest of the world. The trick to surviving in his line of work was accepting that you weren't and planning accordingly. He knew better than to approach the fine line that separated bravery from stupidity. At once a resigned pragmatist and a reluctant optimist, he freely admitted to himself that his career to date was due just as much to luck as to skill; the only question was when that luck would run out. _Not tonight. Please not tonight. I need one more hit of the old black magic_.

Once the two had tuned the nearest corner, he broke cover and stealthily padded down the hallway, not making a sound except for the pounding of his own heartbeat. When he got to the iron door, he stopped, looking at its impressive bulk. He eyed its craftsmanship. It wasn't just for show; it was as well-made inside as out. To a client or colleague, he might brag that there was no lock, no door he couldn't open. Internally, he knew that wasn't true, but lied to himself anyway and sometimes believed it. He pulled out his lock picks from their resting place in his left wristband. The feel of them in his hands calmed him, and restored his confidence. In a way, they were his oldest, most trusted friends. How many times had they saved his life, allowed a safe retreat from a deadly situation? With them, nothing was inescapable. _Ever since that first night…all those years ago. I'm an old man at seventeen._ He blinked. Tonight he believed the lie. 

With moist palms, he inserted the picks and moved them like they were extensions of his fingers. After a period of time that ranged between a heartbeat and an eternity, he heard the welcoming click of the door surrendering to him. He realized he had been holding his breath, and let it out. Putting his tools away, he gripped the cold iron door, swung it open, and stepped into the darkness.

**Next: Awakening**


	3. Chapter 3: Awakening

**Previously: Nazumi the thief has broken into Azula' prison. But is she the same Azula of a year ago?**

**Chapter 3: Awakening**

"Princess Azula?"

Nazumi stood over the sleeping princess. Not usually a great respecter of rank or station, he suddenly felt embarrassed to be in Azula's sleeping quarters, and could barely speak above a whisper. He looked down at her thin, pale form, her skin almost as white as her sheets and robes, her long dark hair standing out in comparison. Gone were the trappings of royalty, the crown and jewels that would indicate she was Fire Nation royalty. She looked like any common Fire Nation citizen. _She's thinner than I remember. But it's definitely her._

"Princess? Wake up!"

He gently shook her shoulder. When he had first entered the room, his heart had froze, having not spotted her sleeping in her bed and fearing that she had been moved. Now, he couldn't even wake her.

"Princess, we've got to get out of here!"

Nothing. _Maybe they sedate her. _He took a small cyan-colored pill out of a hidden pocket in his belt. _I was hoping I wouldn't need this…_Feeling almost guilty, he gently placed the pill in her mouth. The Lower Ring merchant he had bought it from told him that the Fire Nation army had given pills like these to their soldiers during the siege of Ba Sing Se during extended assaults. But Nazumi didn't have much experience with medications, aside from the occasional sedative slipped into a steak to put a guard dog asleep. _I wonder how long it…_

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Azula sat up as if hit by a lightning bolt. Yelping, Nazumi dropped to the floor onto one knee, cringing, expecting to be engulfed in flames. After several seconds, when he realized he was still alive, he risked opening his eyes and saw Azula, flushed, staring back at him incredulously.

"PrincessmynameisNazumiI'mheretorescueyou." Azula looked at the cowering figure in black in front of her. Was he a hallucination? She couldn't recall having met him before, and her ghostly visitors were always people from her past. They were never afraid of her either. _Maybe this is another dream, and I'm asleep in my cell…or in my palace in the capital…_Still, for the first time in a long time, her head felt clear. Once again, she looked over her visitor. He seemed to have regained his composure somewhat, and was trying to speak.

"Princess Azula. My name is Nazumi. I'm here to…rescue you." Nazumi winced as he said the words. _I sound like an idiot._ Looking up at the Princess, he couldn't tell if she was shocked or annoyed. Several moments passed in silence. He tried again. "Princess, please…we really have to-" He was cut off as Azula leaped off the bed, grabbed him by his chest, threw him against a wall, and braced her forearm against his throat. The wind was knocked out of his lungs and he gasped for air. _Can't…breathe…what the hell…_

Azula looked the stranger directly in the eyes, listening to him struggle for oxygen. He didn't feel like an illusion. But she had to be sure. She slightly released pressure and asked in a voice little more than a whisper, "Are you real?"

Nazumi answered as best he could. "Am I…what?"

"ARE…YOU…REAL?"

"Y…YES! Yes, I'm real!" Nazumi didn't know what Azula meant, but he did know that soon he would black out. He looked into Azula's golden eyes, trying to guess what she was thinking, but her face was inscrutable. Black spots started to appear in front of his eye

Suddenly Azula released him, and he fell to the floor. As he caught his breath, Azula turned away and sat down quietly on the side of her bed, staring at the floor. When he had recovered, he got up and nervously inched his way towards her. "Princess, we need to leave. I-"

Azula interrupted him, almost as if she had not heard him. "If you're real…then I'm a prisoner. Which means my father lost the war…I lost the Agni Kai…and my brother…is alive?" Nazumi realized this last part was a question directed at him.

"Yes, your highness. You brother is alive. He's…" He hesitated. Having just escaped the dragon's jaws once, he didn't want to place his head back in them so soon. "Your brother is Fire Lord. You've been in here for the past year."

Azula stared at the wall. She felt a strange combination of relief and despair flood through her. As a child, she had looked down on her brother, almost pitying him. She didn't hate him, but he was weak, and Ozai had taught her that weakness was unacceptable. It had been clear to her that Zuko wasn't meant to rule. But she resented the fact that as the elder sibling, and especially as Ozai's only son, he was next in line for succession. After the invasion on the day of the eclipse and Zuko's betrayal of the Fire Nation, Azula's path to the throne was cleared. Or the first time in her life, she felt she would be fulfilling her destiny. Initially she had even felt grateful to Zuko for his actions. But somehow that had twisted into resentment. She always thought she would have more time to prepare herself, she had never imagined things would happen so fast. She had felt…unready to take the throne, even though she had been dreaming of it her whole life. She blamed her brother for putting her in this situation so soon. She could never reveal these shameful thoughts of weakness to anyone else, and buried them under her mission of finding her brother and the Avatar. To make matters worse, when she did find her brother, she realized that since his betrayal he had grown into a man, into a true ruler. So what did that make her? These thoughts had plagued her mind, and continued to do so until that fateful night of the Agni Kai. _And now I've lost everything._

Nazumi saw that the princess was lost in her thoughts. _This isn't good. We're running out of time. I'll have to get her attention_. Trying to pull himself taller, he said, with what he hoped was confidence, "You've…ah…probably heard of me, your highness. Nazumi the Mouse. But don't be afraid, I'm not here to hurt you." _Now what? _ '_I was hired to free you and then drop you off in Ba Sing Se. You'll probably be recaptured soon after that, but I'll have gotten paid so it's not my problem.' No, don't tell her that. You'll sound like…like what? Like what you really are? "_Ah…I'm part of a group of Fire Nation citizens still loyal to your cause. I'm here to-"

Azula looked at the young thief dispassionately. "I'm not afraid. I've never heard of you."

Nazumi sputtered. "But…I'm the greatest thief in Ba Sing Se…don't you remember? During the parade after you conquered the city? The ceremonial scepter that went missing? That was me!"

Azula's expression didn't change. "We assumed it was Earth Kingdom resistance. It was just ornamental anyway."

"But--I …" Nazumi was at a loss for words. He had expected to get caught or killed, but he hadn't been expecting this.

Azula looked at Nazumi as he visibly deflated and his face reddened. She didn't know whether to be amused by his attempts to impress her or dismayed that he was the one sent to rescue her. What she did know was that this represented her best chance to escape. If she let it slip through her fingers, she would be back where she started, locked in this room…with the ghosts of her past. _I won't allow that to happen. I'm going to set things right. Not for father._ _For myself._ _And if I am dreaming…then this doesn't matter anyway._ _I'd better pull him together. _She stood up. "Listen…Nazumi, yes? I'm…grateful for you coming here to free me. You're been…very brave. Now what's your plan on getting us out of here?

Azula saw that Nazumi's expression brightened, though his complexion turned as red as the bandana holding back his mop of hair. "Thank you, Princess. It's nothing really. My pleasure. Anything for-"

Azula cleared her throat. "The plan?"

"Right." Nazumi somehow turned even more crimson than before, as if all of the blood in his body had rushed to his head. _Come on, man, don't go to pieces here. You're supposed to be a professional. _"We've got to make our way to the airfield, and fast. The guards are on a fifteen minute cycle, and we've used up most of that already."

"Then I suggest we get going."

**Next: Fight and Flight**


	4. Chapter 4: Fight and Flight

**Previously: Azula has agreed to escape with Nazumi, a thief hired to rescue her from her Fire Nation prison. However, the prison guards may have something to say about that…**

**Chapter 4: Fight and Flight**

Azula and Nazumi crept silently down the halls of the temple. The corridors seemed to go forever. Finally free after all this time, it was all Azula could to to keep from running for the nearest exit, as fast and as far as she could. But Nazumi wouldn't let her; under his lead, they stuck to the shadows, patiently avoiding the roaming patrols of guards. They had stuffed some sheets under Azula's covers and locked the door to her room, but they knew that their subterfuge wouldn't pass anything more than a cursory examination, and they could be discovered at any time. Azula was used to confronting problems head on, and the whole situation made her want to scream. However, neither Azula nor Nazumi had to tell the other to be quiet; they were both distracted by their thoughts. Azula was still reeling from the revelation that she had been a "guest" of the temple for an entire year, not the couple of months that she had thought. _What else has changed? How have I changed?_ She had wanted to question Nazumi about what had happed after the war: to Ozai, to Zuko. But Nazumi kept his answers to a minimum, insisting on as much silence as possible. She looked at her black-clad companion. _He seems to know what he's doing_. _But how much can I trust him?_

Nazumi, on the other hand, was starting to realize that he might, just might, get out of this alive. He tried to put these thoughts out of his mind, and concentrate on the task at hand, but he could almost see the skyline of Ba Sing Se. He had initially been concerned about the princess's condition, but she seemed to be adjusting to the situation rapidly. He stole a glance at her out of the corner of his eyes. It was hard to believe that this thin girl was the most dangerous firebender in the world, the dreaded conqueror of Ba Sing Se. But he had been in the city when the Fire Nation soldiers had stormed through the walls; he could only guess at what drove a person like that._ Besides, she's royalty...who knows what they're really like? _

Eventually, they found themselves at a large gateway leading to the temple's airfield, which was just outside. There were five Fire Nation war balloons stationed outside, unchanged from when Nazumi had stopped by here earlier tonight. What had changed was the number and activity of the guards. Instead of a lone, sleeping sentry, there were five guards, awake and alert. Nazumi felt ice in his stomach. _Did they discover what I did? No, they would have set off an alarm. Just bad luck, then?_ Looking ahead, he knew there was no way to sneak past them, board a balloon and take off without being caught.

Azula whispered in Nazumi's ear. "What now, oh great thief?"

Nazumi looked ashen-faced. "Your highness, we have to grab that balloon, the one closest to us. When I was here earlier, there was only one guard. Now…" His voice trailed off. He wasn't a fighter, had never been one. It suited neither his temperament nor his skills. He had an aversion to violence, both in general and particularly when directed at him. "Maybe they'll get bored…"

Azula scowled. She was too close to freedom to give up now, and could tell Nazumi would be of no help. They couldn't afford to wait any longer. Without a word, she stood up and broke cover. Nazumi went to grab her but was too late. He looked in shock as Azula calmly advanced towards the milling soldiers. _What the hell is she doing?!_

The guards were as surprised as Nazumi. Azula had appeared out of nowhere, and no one quite knew what to do. Rumor had it she could no longer firebend, but she was also supposed to be locked in her cell. And she was still the princess, still the sister of the Fire Lord. No one wanted to have to explain to their superiors if she was inadvertently injured. The soldier closest to her drew his sword, and stared at her. "Prisoner Azula…stop where you are."

Azula looked at the men. There was a time when they would have obeyed her every command, would have died for her. Now, she was a common criminal. It was so ridiculous, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What did one say in a situation like this? She would have to try and bluff her way past. "Soldier, I've no wish to hurt you or your men. As your Fire Lord, I order you to stand aside and let us pass."

This seemed to galvanize the soldiers, but not in the way Azula had intended. The rest of them drew their weapons. They answered to Fire Lord Zuko, not her. The soldier who had spoken first, encouraged by his comrades, replied with more confidence. "Prisoner, I won't ask you again. Stop what you're doing, come back with us to your room and I promise you won't be hurt." He reached out to grab her shoulder with his free hand.

Azula heard Ozai's laughter in her ears. _Shut up, father. I'm never going back._ She made no movements as the guard's hand grabbed her shoulder, and then twisted his arm into a wrist lock, breaking his arm and driving him into the ground. As he screamed in pain, the other guards leapt towards Azula. Princess or no, she had to be stopped.

The nearest soldier thrust at her with the sword in his outstretched right arm. She sidestepped, pinning his hand to her body with her left arm, then drove her right elbow up into his face, sending him reeling. Sensing an attacker in back of her, she ducked as a sword whistled over her head. Spinning around on the balls of her feet, she leapt up, bringing her right knee crashing into the jaw of the warrior, knocking him senseless.

The two remaining soldiers eyed Azula wearily. Three of their comrades defeated in seconds…but they were thinking the same thing. _She didn't bend!_ And they were ready for her. They were well-trained, and used to working as a team. They also had the luxury of time, and Azula didn't. And they didn't need to bring her in alive. Circling Azula, the soldiers watched her, looking for an opening.

Suddenly, Azula's right foot slipped in the mud. Seeing his opening, the swordsman closest to her lunged forward, bringing his sword crashing down on her head…only to have his arm blocked by her crossed wrists. Meanwhile the other guard had leapt forward as well, committing himself before realizing that the slip was a feint. Azula snapped out a side kick, connecting with the man's face and knocking him unconscious. She then pulled her remaining opponent forward, twisting his sword into the ground. She brought up her right elbow and drove it into the back of his head, leaving him insensible. Letting him fall to the ground, Azula was exultant, her victory filling her with an emotion she had not felt in months: pride. _You see, father? You see? I'm not weak_. _I'm strong._ However the world had changed, however she had changed, that much was the same.

Azula returned her attention to the first guard, the one who had spoken to her initially. He staggered to his feet, his broken arm hanging useless and his forehead bleeding from where his head had struck the ground. She looked at him with death in her eyes.

"What is my title, soldier?"

The soldier looked at her, confused. He knew his next few words would determine if he lived or died. Finally, he knew what to say. "F…Fire Lord, your highness. Your title is…Fire Lord."

Azula gazed at the frightened man. _Fire Lord._ The words rang hollow in her ears. A moment ago she felt flush with her victory. Now, that feeling had turned to ash in her mouth. She didn't want to think about why that was so. She snapped out a front kick that connected with the man's chest and sent him flying to the ground, knocking him out cold.

Nazumi stumbled out next to her. He looked out among the prone soldiers in a daze. Thankfully, they all seemed to be alive. The whole fight had taken no longer than twenty seconds. "Princess, that was…"

"Forget it. Let's get out of here," Azula replied curtly.

Nazumi nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But why fight them, why didn't you firebend?"

"I said FORGET IT." Azula's eyes raged, and Nazumi saw that his question scared her more than the soldiers had. She stormed off towards one of the war balloons.

Nazumi grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Wait! I'm sorry!" She turned to face him, and he winced at the stormy expression on her face, remembering the fight he had just witnessed. "I mean, I'm sorry I upset you." He looked down and realized he was still holding her arm, and quickly let go, his face turning red. "And I'm sorry I grabbed you. But… we have to take this balloon." He gestured towards the one he had indicated earlier.

Azula looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

Nazumi replied as if the answer was obvious. "Because I sabotaged the others earlier tonight." Without waiting for a reply, he bounded towards the one remaining functional balloon.

Azula looked at him in surprise. _I never __would have __thought of that, _she thought to herself. _Good work, Mr. Mouse._ She climbed on board, watching him as he pulled a large backpack out of some nearby bushes and joined her in the balloon. "I stashed this here earlier; we'll need it to get away." He unhooked the moorings, and then looked at her expectantly. "Ah…your highness, if you don't mind...could you ignite the engine?"

Azula looked at his expectant face. She tried to remain angry, but was unable to. "I…can't."

"What do you mean, you can't?"

Azula turned away from the thief. "I mean exactly that, I just…can't. I haven't been able to since I came here. I don't know why." Hearing herself say these words made her feel like she was dying inside. More than the loss of her title or her position, being unable to bend felt like a knife in her soul.

Nazumi saw the princess struggle with her emotions. His mind raced. This was a setback, but not insurmountable. It would be easier to stay undercover if Azula wasn't firebending all the time. But the men who had hired him probably wouldn't be happy about it. And…_she isn't happy about it either._ He took out some spark rocks from a pocket, and tried to sound cheerful. "Princess, don't worry. It's OK. I've got it covered, see? I brought some of these along, just in case I, ah…"

Azula turned to him, becoming angry again. "In case you had to leave without me?"

Nazumi's scratched his head, and he muttered. "Well, hell…gotta have a backup plan…didn't know if I'd find you…" He quickly got the balloon's engine running and they began to rise rapidly, leaving the temple below them. Below, they could hear the general alarm sound, too late to stop them. With his sharp eyesight, he could see activity about the remaining balloons, and he imagined the looks on the soldiers' faces when they found them inoperable. _Heh heh heh...the Mouse strikes again._ _Wait'll I tell the boys back home. This is one for the history books. _He pictured himself sitting at a table in his favorite bar, surrounded by the cream of the Ba Sing Se underworld community, regaling them with stories of his escape while they all hung on his every world. Of course, he'd have to change some details, just to make it more believable...maybe have him defeating the guards singlehandedly, the grateful princess swooning in his arms...she wanted to repay him with a kiss, but he refused, like a gentleman...it definitely had potential.

Azula poked him in his arm, breaking his reverie. "Hey, mouse-boy. Shouldn't we gain altitude? Get some cover in the clouds?"

Nazumi, startled, came back to reality. _Mouse-boy? I'll have to leave that part out. _He turned to her and gave her a sly look. "No, your highness. We WANT them to see where we're going. That's part of the plan."

**Next: Secrets and Lies**


	5. Chapter 5: Secrets and Lies

**Previously: Azula and Nazumi have escaped the temple where Azula was being held captive, but can they make their way to the Earth Kingdom?**

**Chapter 5: Secrets and Lies**

Nazumi and Azula rode in silence in the basket of the hot air balloon. After making his cryptic comment about wanting them to be followed, Nazumi kept busy by manning the balloon's engine, leaving Azula to her thoughts. He had done well so far, so she decided not to press him. After being cooped up in her room at the temple for so long, the simple act of letting the wind flow through her hair was a pleasure. Her head continued to clear for the first time in months, though she could feel Ozai's mocking laughter buried just beneath the surface. She realized that even though she was probably the most wanted fugitive in the world, for the first time in her life she felt free. She was no longer responsible for the war, for finding the Avatar, for pleasing her father. Ever since she was a child, she had lived her life like a tile on a Pai Sho board, bound by rules and limited by the machinations of others. Now she was on the run, with no plan and few prospects, and her only ally was a common criminal. She should have been terrified, but instead she felt liberated.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Nazumi said over his shoulder, nearly yelling to be heard over the wind and the noise of the engine.

"What do you mean?"

Nazumi stopped toiling away and turned to her. "Getting away with it. When it seems like the whole world is trying to catch you. It's my favorite part of any job. Well, that and counting the money afterwards. Must feel even better for you, your highness." As the words left his mouth he realized he had said too much.

"I thought you rescued me because you were loyal to my claim to the throne?" Azula asked wearily.

"Of course I did," Nazumi stammered. "But I also do other jobs on the side…guy's gotta eat…" He hastily returned to the engine.

Azula looked at his back. Obviously, her travelling companion wasn't telling her the whole truth. Still, their objectives were the same for now: escape. How long this continued for remained to be seen, but she was confident that even without her bending, she could handle him if needed. She turned to look out at the view again and saw that they were descending as they approached the northern coastline of the Fire Nation.

"Nazumi," she asked the thief with some concern, "why are we landing?"

"Huh?"

"Why…are…we…landing?"

"It's all part of the plan, your highness. Let me explain." He spoke as he manically worked the controls, twisting knobs and turning levers. "See, this war balloon is pretty conspicuous, especially when the sun is up. And it's certainly not the fastest ship in the Fire Nation air fleet. Sabotaging the war balloons at the temple may have given us a head start, but you can bet they'll be after us by air…and they'll catch us, too."

Azula braced herself as the balloon touched down heavily. _He'll have to work on his landings._ "Is that why we were flying low?"

Nazumi was so excited he was almost cackling. "You got it, your highness. See, I _want_ them to follow this balloon…because _we_ won't be in it." He nimbly vaulted out of the balloon's basket, hesitated, and then offered her his hand to help her out. Azula paused, then gave him her hand and allowed him to help her. _He's on a roll,_ she thought. _I don't want to deflate his confidence now._

Nazumi dropped his large backpack on the ground, opened it, and then rapidly began assembling what looked like two manikins out of bamboo, reeds, and clothing. One was clad in black, the other in red. He then placed them back in the basket, stepped back, and looked up at them with unmistakable pride.

"Princess, allow me to introduce you to my friends Li and Lo. Good-looking, aren't they? Don't get too attached to them, though, I'm afraid they'll be picked up by the Fire Nation in a day or so. It's really too bad…" He turned to her, anticipating her praise.

Azula looked them over, and then turned to the beaming Nazumi. "Let me get this straight. You're going to send the balloon up with them in it…"

"…along our previous course. Our friends here will be realistic enough to fool someone looking through a spyglass, so they'll send everyone they've got after the balloon, allowing us to slip away by sea. Because you're supposed to be on board, they won't blast it out of the sky, either; they'll waste time catching and boarding it. But when they do, all they'll find are our friends here." At this point, Nazumi was so pleased with himself he was practically strutting like a peacock. "I know, I know, it's genius, princess, you don't have to say anything." _Although it would be nice if you did…_

Azula grabbed him by his shirt. "Nazumi…why would we be getting on a boat?"

_This wasn't the reaction I was hoping for_, Nazumi thought. "Uh…because we're going to the Earth Kingdom? To Ba Sing Se?"

Azula let him go and put her hand to her forehead. "Nazumi, you can go wherever you like. _I'm _going to the capital. _I'm _going to find my brother. _I'm _going to get my title back. Am I making myself clear?"

Nazumi looked crestfallen. "B-but princess," he stammered as his mind raced, "you can't go to the capital. That's what everyone is _expecting_ you to do. By this time tomorrow, the capital will be the swarming with soldiers. That's why your supporters are waiting for you in hiding, in Ba Sing Se." _Besides, _he thought, not without some guilt, _if we don't get to Ba Sing Se, I won't get paid. But I'm right, _he tried to justify to himself. _It would be suicide to go fight Zuko now. _Somehow, the thought didn't make him feel less dishonest.

Azula looked out at the coast. He was right. The whole Fire Nation army would be waiting for her in the capital, expecting her to be looking for her brother. And without her bending, she couldn't even challenge Zuko in an Agni Kai, even if she managed to reach him. She knew she couldn't completely trust Nazumi, but if what he was saying was true…if there were sympathizers to her cause in Ba Singe Se…_What choice do I have? None. None at all._

In the back of her minds, she heard Ozai berating her. _"Coward! You finally escape, and the first thing you're doing is fleeing the Fire Nation like a criminal, to hide amongst the Earth Kingdom rabble. You're a disgrace!" _

"Be quiet, father," she muttered.

Nazumi looked at her, puzzled. "Ah, princess…did you say something?"

Azula didn't reply for several seconds. When she did, it was to Nazumi. "And this boat…it will pick us up here?"

"Yes, your highness. I arranged for some smugglers to meet us here. They should be here any minute. It…won't be what you're used to, but it's a fast boat. It'll reach the Earth Kingdom in no time, hopefully before the Fire Nation catches up with our balloon." Nazumi looked expectantly at her. He remembered the way she had handled the guards back at the temple. If she decided to carry on to the Fire Nation capital, he wouldn't be able to stop her.

Azula continued to look out at the blue waters that seemed to stretch out forever. Apparently, she wasn't as free as she had thought. _Looks like I'm going to Ba Sing Se._ "Nazumi…send up the balloon."

* * *

Staring out of the window of her cabin, Azula thought back to Nazumi's description of the boat. It was fast. And it wasn't what she was used to. She looked around her surroundings. The room was cramped, filthy, and smelled as bad as any sewer. Of course, in comparison to the rest of the boat, her cabin was first-class. The furniture consisted of a dirty cot, a basin for water, and a cracked mirror. She looked at her reflection. She could barely recognize herself. The year of captivity, and the lack of sleep over the last few days, left her looking haggard and pale. _I don't really look like the First Daughter of the Fire Nation anymore. Although I suppose officially, I'm no longer a princess._

It was easy to forget; Nazumi kept calling her "your highness," and seemed so intimidated by her that he essentially ceded the cabin to her and slept in a hammock out on the deck. Nazumi had told the captain that Azula was his 'cousin', and that she was very shy and didn't want to be disturbed. Whether it was due to his story or the gold coins the captain had received, Azula was left to her own devices. She shook her head, not for the first time questioning the wisdom of allying herself with a self-confessed criminal. Still, there was no denying he was good at what he did. She couldn't think of anyone else who could have gotten her out of her prison. And the deferential way in which the captain and crew of the boat had treated him made her think that maybe there was something to his reputation as a thief after all. She pouted at the mirror. _They treat him more like royalty than they do me. A bandit prince. _Of course, she knew he was keeping something from her, but she didn't get the feeling that he didn't mean her any harm. _Intentionally, that is. He may still get us killed._

Above deck, Nazumi leaned against the railing and looked out into the horizon, trying to catch a first glimpse of the Earth Kingdom. They were due to land sometime tomorrow, but true to his nature, he couldn't resist checking every few minutes. He was naturally impatient, and felt anxious being trapped on the boat with nowhere to escape to. The captain and crew were used to his inability to sit still; he had used their services several times before. Of course, with the amount of gold he was paying for the use of the boat, they would have allowed far more bizarre behavior than pacing back and forth. For this reason, the captain had declined to ask any questions when Nazumi had told him that he was travelling with a cousin, and that he would prefer if she could have a private room. The captain knew Nazumi wasn't a kidnapper, though if he was it wouldn't have bothered the old smuggler. Like everything else in the world, anything became acceptable for the right price.

Nazumi pulled himself away from the railing, going through the next stage of his plan for the fifteenth time that hour. _Land at midday, stash the princess in the safe house, buy two tickets on a fast caravan to Ba Sing Se…no sweat._ He re-checked the false identification papers he had prepared in advance for both himself and Azula. They looked as perfect as they had five minutes ago. Putting them away for the next five minutes until he re-checked them again, Nazumi tried to suppress a feeling of optimism, but there was no denying that the worst seemed to be over. If there was one thing he was good at, it was running, and once they got to Ba Sing Se, they'd be safe. _No one knows those streets like I do._ _Once we get there, I pick up my money, drop off the princess, and then…what?_

As was typical of him, all of his planning had ended at the point when he would get paid. Now that he had some time on his hands, he couldn't help thinking about what awaited them in Ba Sing Se. Despite his unusual occupation, he considered himself to be an ethical person, though most people would find his standard of ethics somewhat warped. He only stole from those who could afford it; he viewed pilfering a box of gold from a wealthy merchant or the theft of a valuable painting from a private collection as a justifiable redistribution of wealth. Recognizing the high cost of living in Ba Sing Se, he made it a point of pride to pay out the best bribes in the city to the local police, knowing how low their salaries were. And he always worked alone, so he wouldn't be responsible for getting anyone else captured or killed. But now he _was _responsible for someone…and the thought of leaving Azula, or anyone else for that matter, with Fen Long and Paiko made him nervous. Not for the first time, he tried to justify it to himself. _They're on her side. They'll take care of her. After all, they paid me enough for her._ He looked at the cabin. _She'll be fine._ He didn't fully believe himself, but agreed to revisit the issue after checking the horizon for land again.

* * *

As promised, the boat docked at the port city of Minoto. After giving the second half of the agreed upon payment to the captain, along with an extra share to the crew, Nazumi and Azula left the ship and headed into the city. Watching them leave, the first mate turned to the captain. "That Nazumi's something, eh? Always working some scam. You've known him a while now, haven't you, Captain?"

The captain looked hard at the retreating figures of Nazumi and his 'cousin. '"Yes…I have. And I've always liked him. Pays well and up front. But…" He spat over the side of the boat. "But everyone's luck runs out eventually, doesn't it? "

The first mate looked cannily at his captain. He knew the tone in his voice too well. "It certainly does. Got something planned?"

The captain continued staring into the distance. He _had _known Nazumi a long time. But before he became a smuggler, he had been an officer in the Royal Navy of the Fire Nation. Once he had had the honor of serving the entire royal family aboard his ship. And he knew that it wasn't an accident that Nazumi's mysterious cousin bore an uncanny resemblance to Princess Azula. It seemed incredible, but he couldn't deny what he had seen with his own eyes. Nazumi had always liked to take risks, but the young thief had clearly thrown caution to the wind. _The whole world will be after them…_

The captain snorted. He never sold out people who employed him. Not out of any sense of loyalty among thieves; it was simply bad business, and would scare away future clients. But _this…_if Nazumi was travelling with the princess, he figured any reward offered for their capture would be more than he could earn in another twenty years of smuggling. And he could guess where Nazumi was taking her, too. The thief was always twitchy, but he had seemed particularly anxious during the voyage to the Earth Kingdom. The captain would bet that Nazumi would be heading towards the one place he could hope to feel safe: Ba Sing Se. Detaining them himself was too dangerous; the princess was too powerful an opponent for a group of smugglers. But if he could still have a piece of the reward, with no risk to himself or his boat…

The captain nodded to himself; he had made up his mind. "Keep an eye on the boat. I've got someone to see."

**Next: Mousetrap**


	6. Chapter 6: Mousetrap

**Previously: Nazumi the Mouse is a young thief who has been hired by two mysterious strangers, Fen Long and Paiko, to free the former Fire Nation Princess Azula. They claim to be representatives of her supporters who wish to aid Azula in an insurrection against her brother Zuko, the current Fire Lord. Following her defeat at the hands of Zuko and Katara one year ago which left her mind shattered, Azula has been held in a remote temple that serves as a prison and a hospital. Nazumi was successful in rescuing Azula, though he left out the fact that he was paid to do so, telling her he was another one of her supporters in order to win her trust. Since being freed, Azula has begun to put herself back together, although she finds herself too unfocused to firebend. Presently, Azula and Nazumi have managed to reach the Earth Kingdom. So far, so good…but will their luck hold out?**

**Chapter 6: Mousetrap**

"Well, here we are."

"Here" was a rundown house in what was clearly Minoto's version of the Lower Ring. Azula looked at it, trying out of courtesy to keep her disappointment from showing on her face. She had inwardly hoped that after their recent sea voyage, they would be able to stay somewhere more comfortable, at least for one night. _I guess this is what I can come to expect from now on. The life of a fugitive._ She looked at Nazumi, who seemed to not be bothered by their housing arrangement. _He probably fits right in. _The thief had knocked at the door, and was now waiting impatiently for a response. Some shuffling was heard behind the door, and it opened to reveal one of the oldest women Azula had ever seen.

"Hey, good looking," Nazumi grinned, "glad to see you're still alive and kicking. You kept us waiting so long, I was starting to worry."

The old lady gave the thief a toothless smile and reached up to embrace him. "Nazumi! You miserable brat! Get in here before you get arrested. You'll ruin my reputation with the neighbors." She released him and bodily dragged him into the house, leaving Azula to follow.

Once inside, the old woman turned towards Azula and elbowed Nazumi in the ribs. "Who's your friend, Nazumi? She's too good-looking for you!"

Nazumi muttered something, then broke free of the cackling woman and stood between her and Azula. "Baba, this is…Shima. She's a…family friend. Shima, this is Baba. She may not look like it, but she's the best fence in Minoto. She'll keep an eye on you while I arrange our transportation at the Central Station. Don't let her push you around too much."

Baba came over and squeezed Azula's arm. "Pleased to meet you, young lady. Don't listen to Nazumi, I'm sure you'll be glad to be rid of him for a while. Have a seat, you must be exhausted. I'll get you some tea." She shuffled out of the room, heading towards what Azula assumed was the kitchen.

Azula arched her eyes at Nazumi. "'Shima'? What's the idea? And why do I have to stay here?"

Nazumi leaned in close, so Baba wouldn't overhear him. "Keep your voice down! She's as old as time, but her hearing's great. And I didn't lie to her because I don't trust her…I lied to protect her. Anyone who knows who you really are is in danger, OK? And I'm afraid of anyone on the street recognizing you. So please, for the next few hours, you stay here with Baba and your name is Shima. Don't worry about a back story; Baba's been in the game long enough to know not to ask any compromising questions." He called out in a louder voice towards the door that Baba had disappeared through. "Baba! I'm going out for a bit! I'm leaving some money on the table; see if you can get Shima to eat anything!"

He turned back to Azula. "Can you get through the next few hours without burning her house to the ground?"

Azula fumed at being left behind, though she agreed with the soundness of his plan. Still, her recent betrayal by Mai and Ty lee had taught her to not trust anyone, and after spending the last year in prison, she wouldn't let anyone put her back in. For all she knew Nazumi could have rescued her just to turn her in for the reward money…if not something worse. _He could be working for Earth Kingdom vigilantes, who arranged for me to be freed and brought here so they could kill me. Or maybe he's in league with Zuko?! Of course...Zuko knows that as long as I'm alive, I have a claim to the throne. But he couldn't have me killed, I'm still of royal blood. So he hires this criminal to "rescue me", only to have me killed far from home. Clever, Zuko, I didn't know you had it in you._

Azula gave Nazumi a warm smile. She would let him think he was in charge for now. "Nazumi, don't be ridiculous. You've obviously planned everything out perfectly so far. I would be crazy not to trust someone as talented as you. Besides, I just spent the last year in prison. I think I can handle a little old lady."

She hugged him affectionately, and whispered into his ear. "Just promise me you'll be careful, and hurry back soon. I don't feel safe without you."

Nazumi's ears burned and his face turned as red as the royal crest of the Fire Nation. "Duhhh…right…I'll, uhhhh…come right back…where am I going again?"

Azula opened the door. "Transportation. To Ba Sing Se. Now go. Go!" She closed the door behind him, cutting him off in mid-bluster. She smirked to herself. Now all as she had to do was get rid of the old bat...

* * *

Azula found Baba bustling in the kitchen, making tea. She addressed her briskly. "Don't bother. I'm going out."

Baba turned to Azula and instead of the expected protestations, began to cackle. "So, you don't trust Nazumi, eh? I don't blame you, 'Shima'. Anyway, I won't try and stop you. I'm too old to be getting into arguments." She placed a steaming teapot on a small wooden tray already laden with two ivory cups, and walked past her into the living room.

Azula followed her, now not in as much of a hurry to leave. "Wait a minute…why shouldn't I trust him?"

The old woman guffawed again. "Why, he's a thief and a liar! It's not his fault. He couldn't tell you the truth if his life depended on it. But you know all that already, he's a 'family friend'." Baba then sat down on the sofa on the kitchen, and poured the fragrant tea into the two cups. She gestured for Azula to take one, but the princess remained standing with her arms crossed.

"If he's so rotten, how come you're helping him?"

This was too much for Baba. She crowed so hard she seemed to turn blue. "Because I'm just as rotten, dearie! Besides, he paid me! Why else would you think I'd hide the two of you? I may like Nazumi, but business is business."

Azula closed her eyes ad massaged her forehead in frustration. She couldn't decide whether this woman was insane, senile, or just the most honest person she had ever met. "So…if you're just as bad…how can we trust you?"

Baba put down her teacup and wagged her finger at Azula. "Now, dearie, just because Nazumi and I find 'creative' ways to make out money, doesn't mean we're cutthroats. I promised him I'd shelter the two of you, for a price…and I'll do it. Every crook's only as good as her word."

A realization slowly dawned on Azula. "And if Nazumi gave his word to get me to Ba Sing Se…"

"…he'll do it. But right now you must be wondering, who did he give his word to?" Baba picked up the cup in front of her and took a slurp of the steaming tea.

Azula scowled. "Time to find out." And with that, she headed out into the streets of Minoto.

* * *

Nazumi walked out of the ticket office of Minoto's Central Station, holding two tickets in his hand. By this time tomorrow, he and Azula would be on an express caravan heading towards Ba Sing Se. With the tickets purchased, he felt like a weight had lifted off of his shoulders. The farther they got from the Fire Nation, the safer they'd be. He supposed "safe" was a relative term when travelling with the most wanted fugitive in the world, but it was all he could hope for. _I'd better get back before Baba tells Azula too many embarrassing stories about me. _

Out of force of habit, he stopped in front of a nearby store with a large glass window, scanning the reflection of the crowd in back of him, to see if anyone was following him. It was an old routine, one which had saved his life more than once. Suddenly, he froze in his tracks. In the reflection he saw someone who he had noticed in the station. That alone wouldn't be alarming, but he had also seen the man's image earlier today in a similar window reflection on his way from Baba's house. _I'm being followed. _

Nazumi continued to walk, not picking up his pace. He didn't want his tail to know that he had been detected, and Nazumi needed time to think. _Damn! Who is he? And does he have friends? I can't lead him back to Baba's…_He turned down a nearby alley, still as nonchalant as possible. _OK, buddy, let's see how good you are._

Nazumi leaped up, springing from wall to wall in the narrow alley, and gracefully reached the roof. He knew the streets of Minoto almost as well as those of Ba Sing Se. He looked down and saw the man who had been following him looking up at the roof. He was tall, dressed simply and functionally, and carried a barbed spear which looked like it belonged in the side of a whale. His left arm was covered in a tattoo sleeve which Nazumi thought he recognized. The man was making no attempts to follow him, which meant that…

Nazumi sprung to the side, and an arrow flew through the space he had just occupied. He turned and saw two archers on the rooftops across the street. _No way to dodge them both. And there may be more. This is trouble. _He turned and fled, leaping across the rooftops as easily as most people navigate stairs. He didn't know who these men were, but if they wanted to catch him, they'd have to work for it.

* * *

Azula had caught up with Nazumi a few blocks from Baba's. Initially, he had been heading in the opposite direction of the Central Station. He then began to take a winding path throughout the city, turning left and right without any sense of direction. Every now and then, he would stop and look in a store window, scanning the reflections of the people behind him. Twice, he had entered a store, only to slip out the back. Having learned such tricks from the Dai Le during her brief tenure as their leader, Azula managed to keep track of him without him noticing, but just barely. Eventually, she took to the rooftops in order to follow him more easily. She also felt safer being off the streets of the city. She knew it was too early for the news of her escape to spread widely, but she still felt as if she had enemies everywhere.

Eventually, Nazumi disappeared into the Central Station, and Azula was forced to return to the streets in order to avoid missing him when he left. So far, he hadn't done anything that would arouse her suspicions. She didn't even know what she was looking for. If she didn't want to go to Ba Sing Se, he certainly couldn't stop her. The truth was, she didn't have anywhere else to go. To return to the Fire Nation would all but guarantee a fight she couldn't hope to win, followed by a return to incarceration. Even here, in the Earth Kingdom, it was only a matter of time until she was recognized. At the very least, she needed time to plan. She wasn't too worried about Zuko. Despite the outcome of their last encounter, she felt confident in her ability to defeat him. She was more concerned about the Avatar. She knew Aang wouldn't stand idly by while Azula defeated his new best friend. To challenge Aang head-on was impossible; if Ozai couldn't defeat the Avatar while empowered by Sozin's comet, she doubted her ability to defeat him on her own. But there were many other ways to defeat one's enemies, and everyone had a weakness. She needed time to find Aang's.

As Azula thought about how to defeat Aang, Nazumi appeared from the Central Station. Azula quickly worked her way to the rooftops again, watching him intently. He seemed to be in more of a hurry, walking more directly to Baba's house without so many twists and turns. He still checked for reflections several times, but not as frequently as he had on the trip over. Abruptly, he turned into an alley, and like a flash of lighting ascended to the roof of the nearest building. Azula scrambled to hide behind a short stone wall. At first, she was afraid he had seen her, but as she watched him she saw him staring intently over the edge of the building. What could he be doing? She scanned the horizon, and several hundred feet away on an adjacent rooftop, she spied two archers steady themselves and take aim. Before she could make up her mind as to what to do, they let loose their arrows. But it seemed like Nazumi had eyes in the back of his head, because he rolled away at the last second.

Before Azula realized that she was feeling relief, she saw Nazumi bolt across the rooftop in an effort to escape the archers, and watched as they went to pursue him. Azula got up and followed the lot of them. She didn't know what was going on or who the strange men were, but she was determined to find out.

* * *

The archers chased after Nazumi like hounds after a fox, laying down a steady of fire. Realizing that the archers were trying to herd him in a certain direction, he jumped off the rooftops and made his way down to the street below by hopping down adjacent balconies on the side of the nearest building, landing on a passing cart of cabbage and springing to the ground below. Ignoring the complaints of the merchant whose product he had trampled, he sped around a corner, only to be nearly decapitated by a man who looked like a shaved-down bear with a club the size of a tree trunk. Without losing a step, he rolled beneath the club and continued running, lashing out with a kick as he sprang away. He went to duck down another alley, but leapt back under a hail of arrows_. Not going that way._ Turning in a half-circle, he kicked down the door of what looked like an abandoned building and raced through its ground floor, exiting by vaulting through a broken window at its far side. Landing in a crouch, he leaped to his feet and scanned his surroundings.

He was on a narrow, abandoned street. _Well, almost abandoned._ To his left he saw a bare-chested man with a large axe, swinging it casually in his direction, as if he was out for an evening stroll. Nazumi saw that he was sporting the same tattoo as the man who had been following him earlier, but he had no time to try to remember where he had seen it before. Turning to his right, he saw a black-clad man with an eye patch wielding a Fire Nation-style sword. Nazumi cursed to himself. _I've got a real fan club. _ There were no handholds or balconies near enough that he could use to regain the rooftops. The men advanced on him slowly, smiling, knowing he had nowhere to go, and he made a snap decision. He ran towards the swordsman, hoping that having two eyes to the man's one would give him the advantage. The man thrust forward with his blade, his form perfect. But Nazumi was faster, and leaped, planting a foot on the blade and using it live a diving board to spring upwards, managing to reach a second floor windowsill. He clambered up to the rooftop and sprinted across it, his mind racing. _I'm running out of rope here. _Dodging several arrows, he leapt back down to the streets below.

Landing, he found himself in a dead end alley. Looking to his left, he saw the man with the spear from earlier leaning against the far end. The man casually lifted his spear, and had a bored expression on his tanned face. "Kid, this has been real fun, but it's time to put an end to this before you get hurt."

Nazumi was too out of breath to say anything. He turned away from the man and started to run down the alley…

…only to feel a sharp blow to his chest as an arrow punched through his right shoulder. The force of the arrow threw him backwards towards the man holding the spear, and he landed on his back. Staggering to his feet, he saw the man casually advancing on him. "Warned you, kid. Ah, hell…to tell you the truth, we woulda hurt you anyway. We're professionals."

Nazumi felt the blood oozing down his arm. _This…is bad. I'm not getting out of this one. _The realization was a sobering one, but undeniable. Eventually, it happened to everyone in his line of work. The better you were, the longer it took, but at some point everyone's luck ran out. He had always thought he would be more scared when this moment came. For some reason, his thoughts went back some years, to when he had first started out as a thief. As he was learning the ropes, he occasionally crossed paths with an older burglar named Kaiju. Kaiju had been something of a local legend. He had been in business for years, always waiting for that one big score just over the horizon. The older thief knew he was pushing his luck, taking bigger and bigger chances, but he seemed addicted to taking unnecessary risks. The stress began to take its toll, and Kaiju became paranoid, seeing everyone as a potential threat. He never slept in the same place for two nights in a row, and started taking bizarre precautions against capture, such as always wearing disguises, even when home alone. In time, no one wanted to partner with him. He gained the reputation of a dead man walking, and the community of thieves watched him with a sort of morbid fascination, waiting for that inevitable day when Kaiju used up all of his close calls. Eventually Kaiju's number came up. As the police hauled him off, he actually looked relieved; he could finally stop running.

Nazumi could understand the sentiment, but wasn't quite ready to lie down and die, although he seemed to not have much say in the matter. He reached up with his left hand and grabbing the shaft of the arrow embedded in his shoulder. The blood made it slippery, and he groaned with pain as he gripped it tightly in his hand. He snapped it off, and somehow managed to stay on his feet. Baba would get wind of what happened; somehow she always did. She would get Azula safely out of town. After that…well, after that wouldn't be concerning him for too much longer. He briefly thought back on his life. By his reckoning, he had had a good run. He had been dealt a bad hand, and had made it last as long as he could…longer than anyone could have expected, including himself.

Nazumi gestured at the man with the broken arrow shaft, barely able to stay on his feet. "OK, buddy, I've been taking it easy on you up until now, but you're starting to tick me off. Give up, or I'll have to get serious with you.

The man apparently had decided not to take Nazumi up on his generous offer. He closed distance with Nazumi with a loping stride. He swung out with his spear, once, twice. Nazumi dodged left and right, then rolled under a side thrust and stabbed out with the broken arrow shaft, embedding it in the man's thigh. The man dropped to one knee in pain. It was hard to tell who was more surprised at this turn of events, Nazumi or his attacker. Nazumi was so amazed at not finding himself impaled that he stared down at his chest in disbelief and almost apologized to the man. He stumbled away from his attacker, astonished that, for the millionth time in his life, he was actually going to get away again-

-and then, without warning, an explosion hit him in the back of his head. He felt himself drop to the street, but it seemed as if the ground was pulling away from him as quickly he fell. He idly wondered how long it would take for him to reach the floor, and questioned if everyone's last seconds of life seemed to stretch out like this, in a last-ditch effort to stave off death. Before he landed, the world mercifully dissolved into darkness.

**Next: Trial by Fire**


	7. Chapter 7: Trial by Fire

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the great input I've gotten. It's been really helpful.**

**Previously: While arranging transportation for Ba Sing Se, Nazumi has been hunted down and captured by mysterious assailants. Meanwhile, a suspicious Azula watches from the shadows…**

**Chapter 7: Trial by Fire**

Reality poked at Nazumi's brain relentlessly. He just wanted to drift peacefully in the darkness that surrounded him, but like an unwanted guest, it wouldn't leave him alone. It kept sending bolts of pain through his otherwise peaceful existence. _I'll have to do something about it_. _Of course, that means I'll have to open my eyes. For some reason I don't want to do that…_

…but he did, and immediately remembered why he had wanted to keep them closed. He found himself in the same alley where he had fought the man with the spear. He was in a seated position. His wrists were tied behind his back, and his legs were bound together for good measure. His vision was partially obscured by dried blood. His shoulder and his head were competing with each other to see which of them could hurt more. Currently, they were at an impasse. When he lay still, his shoulder was the clear winner. However, whenever he moved, his head roared into first place with a vengeance. He was wondering how to satisfy them both when he heard nearby voices.

"Well, well, well, looks like sleeping beauty is awake at last. Guess you didn't hit him too heard after all, Yaju." This came from the spearman, who was unchanged except for a bloody bandage on his right thigh. It seemed to be directed at a giant hairy man who was patting a club. Nazumi recognized him from the chase earlier. He looked around him…he counted one, two…six in total.

"Squirmy bastard shouldn't have kicked me, Domo. S'rude." This came from Mr. Club.

"Yeah, well, you're not the one who got stabbed, so don't be expecting any sympathy from me." The bandaged man that the giant had called Domo came over and knelt in front of Nazumi. "Don't worry, I don't take it personal, friend. We're professionals." And with that, he balled his right hand into a fist and punched Nazumi in the face, snapping the young thief's head back with a sickening thud.

And with that, the Head vs. Shoulder competition took a dramatic turn, with Head acquiring what seemed to be an insurmountable lead and starting a race towards the finish. Darkness crept in from the periphery of Nazumi's vision, and he tried to dive into it, figuring it was better than being punched. But his assailant's strong hands grabbed him by the face and shook him awake.

"Ah, ah ,ah, don't be trying to pass out, friend. I wasn't trying to put you to sleep. That was just to let you know how things stand, get it? Just letting you know the lay of the land." He brought his well-muscled arm with the tattoo sleeve in front of Nazumi's face. "Recognize this?"

In his altered state, Nazumi was actually looking at three arms instead of one. "I…I don't-"

The one called Domo leaned in close enough to count the hairs on his chin. "Of course you do. Smart fella like yourself." Domo stood up. "We're Black Forest Rangers."

* * *

Azula watched from shadow at the mouth of the alley as the unconscious Nazumi was bound by his mysterious assailants. She felt an odd mix of emotions looking at the prone body of her unlikely ally, including one she had rarely felt before: guilt. Clearly, he was badly hurt, but she could tell he was still alive by the rising of his chest. Part of her wanted to break cover and help him, but these men were of a different caliber than her guards back at the temple where she had been a prisoner. Without her firebending, she knew she would likely found herself tied up next to Nazumi. She wasn't afraid; she just wasn't ready to risk her life for this stranger. He may have helped her escape, but she had never _asked _for his help. What did she owe him?

"You owe him your friendship."

Azula's eyes widened and her hair stood on end, hearing the soft voice of her mother. It sounded like she was right next to her in the shadows. She looked around in a panic, but couldn't see anyone but the unconscious Nazumi and his attackers. But she could _feel_ Ursa's presence, as familiar as if she had never left. "He's not my friend, mother. I don't _have _any friends. Your baby boy Zuko saw to that."

"Is this how you value those who would risk their lives for you?" During the past year, whenever Ursa had appeared before Azula, she had assumed a gentle, loving tone. Now, for the first time, her mother seemed to be reproachful.

"There's nothing I can do! Besides, I don't even know him! He's just a common criminal! For all I know, he's in league with any one of my enemies." Azula gritted her teeth. Even as she said the words, she felt nauseated with herself. Everything she said was true, but she had never considered herself a coward. There was a time when she would have faced down twice as many men as these. She had held her own against the Avatar! To skulk away with her tail between her legs…she began to realize how far she had fallen in the last year. And Nazumi _had _risked his life to rescue her. If he wasn't a friend, he was the closest thing she had had to one in a long time.

Ozai's voice streamed in from the darkness. "It's not cowardice to cut your losses. You're right to abandon a resource that's no longer of value." Again, the phantom voice seemed out of character. For the last year, Ozai had come to her only to berate her for her failures; now, he came with words of approval. Normally, Azula would have done anything to hear her father speak to her that way. However, for some reason they made her feel worse. Despite what she had said to Ursa, she couldn't bring herself to abandon Nazumi.

"Father, he…may still be of some small use. Maybe if I…"

"Silence!" The familiar disdain returned to Ozai's voice, and Azula fought back tears. "You remain determined to waste everything that I have given you! Your destiny lies in the Fire Nation, not here in the dirt with this trash!"

Ursa's voice returned, competing with Ozai's, more critical than before. She was more "That 'trash' is the only person in the world willing to help you. So what does that make you?"

Ozai shouted in rage. "Leave him! End this game now!"

Azula closed her eyes and held her hands to her ears, rocking back and forth. It was just like before…she couldn't tell where her thoughts ended and the voices began. In a terrifying moment, she imagined she was back at the temple, in her cell, and all of the last few days were another of her vivid dreams. She would open her eyes, and she would find herself in her room, alone and abandoned…

* * *

"We're Black Forest Rangers."

Nazumi 's mouth went dry and his heart began to beat so hard he thought it would fly out of his chest, like a bird trying to escape its cage. Now he remembered where he had seen the tattoo. The Black Forest Rangers were the elite shock troops of the Fire Nation, named for the Black Forest in which they trained. They had a well-earned reputation as brutal, efficient, and merciless. Even normal Fire Nation soldiers were afraid of them. During the war with the Earth Kingdom, their units had staged numerous raids in enemy territory. When Ba Sing Se had fallen, a division of them had been moved within the city walls to "pacify" the population. Within weeks, they had crushed the pockets of resistance that had remained in the city. But they did not stop there. They installed martial law in the Lower Ring, and anyone who ran afoul of them simply disappeared. Even the hardest of the criminals that Nazumi associated with knew to avoid them at all costs. The merchants and aristocracy of the Middle and Upper Rings fared somewhat better, but it was no exaggeration to say that the entire city lived in fear of them.

Domo saw he had gotten the reaction he was hoping for. "Alright, we're on the same page." He walked over to the wall where his spear was resting, and picked it up. "I ain't gonna lie to you, friend. You're not gonna survive this. Reward for you doesn't place any real preference for whether you're dead or alive." He returned to where Nazumi sat. "And then there's the matter of you stabbing me." And with that, he lifted the spear and slowly thrust it into Nazumi's shoulder wound.

Nazumi let out a scream, and the Head vs. Shoulder contest came to a resounding close, with Shoulder making a stunning come-from-behind victory. Nazumi tried to pull away from the spear tip, but Domo's hand was steady and he held Nazumi pinned in place.

Eventually Domo got tired of listening to Nazumi scream, and pulled back his weapon. Nazumi collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. Domo bent down and lifted Nazumi's head up. "Now, see…_how_ you die…that's something you _do_ have control over. And I think you're beginning to see what I mean." He dropped his head and stood back up. Walking slowly around Nazumi's prone body, he spoke to him as if he was instructing a child. "Now, a smart fella like yourself, I figure you can guess what we want to know. " He rolled Nazumi over with the foot. "Where is she?"

Nazumi waited as long as he could to answer, trying to delay the inevitable. "Mister…I like your style. Tell you what. You give up now, I'll make it as quick and painless as possible."

Domo grunted, and then without warning swung the butt of his spear into Nazumi's side, breaking ribs like they were kindling. The air exploded from the Nazumi's lungs, and he tried to roll away, but for some reason his legs wouldn't work. The shaft came up and fell on him, again, and again, and again.

"Where is she?"

* * *

Azula forced her eyes open. She was still in the alley. Nazumi was awake now, and the strange men were alternating between asking him questions and beating him. It was obvious he wouldn't be able to survive much longer. She could guess what they were asking him; it was only a matter of time before he gave her up. But it seemed like Nazumi wasn't giving them any answers, because the beatings continued. _It's probably some kind of code among criminals: don't talk to the authorities. _She realized with a sickening finality that he would die before he told them anything. She wondered what she would do, if their positions were reversed, and found herself wishing he would say something, _anything_, in order for the torture to stop. His bravery and stubbornness, however misplaced, when juxtaposed against her current inaction, made her feelings of cowardice even worse.

Oddly, Azula found herself blaming Zuko for putting her in this situation. If it wasn't for him, she would never have met Nazumi, never have wound up hiding for her life. Zuko had had no right to imprison her; she had committed no actual crimes. She had never had a trial, never had a chance to defend her actions. Not that they needed defending. If anything, she was a prisoner of war, a patriot, and he was a traitor to his country. He had simply been lucky enough to seize power at the right time. The disgust she had been feeling with herself for doing nothing while Nazumi was being tortured, for having been made so helpless over the last year, for having ever been defeated by her brother, all came rushing up and quickly changed into anger. Finally, she stood up, as if she was no longer in control of her actions. The hiding would stop here.

* * *

"Where is she?"

Nazumi lay still, struggling to breath. He knew that every person had a breaking point, a limit to the pain they could endure. Beyond that point, they would say anything, do anything to get the pain to stop. He knew from past experience his own breaking point, and while he wasn't there yet, it was just a short trip down the road. He managed to find enough breath to respond. "Now you've done it...made me angry..."

The blunt end of the spear recommenced its merciless rhythm as it swung down on Nazumi, like a deadly metronome. It seemed to go on forever, but apparently Domo knew just when to stop to avoid another blackout, or worse.

Eventually, Nazumi was able to focus, and looked up to see the faces of his assailants surrounding him. The sun blazed overhead, and he realized how thirsty he was. It seemed like it had been years since he had had a drink of water. All he needed was one drink, and then he would slip his bonds, leap to his feat and beat these men within an inch of their lives. He had it all planned out. _The boys will love this one…taking out a whole squad of Black Forest Rangers. I'll be a legend._

"Where is she?" asked Domo, with the patience of a priest awaiting the confession of a recalcitrant sinner.

"Water," Nazumi demanded with a cracking voice. "Need…water…"

Domo hesitated, then took a canteen off his belt, bent down and poured water over Nazumi's open mouth. Nazumi swallowed greedily, like a man who had been lost in the desert. Dome then pulled the canteen away and stood back up.

"Where is she?"

Nazumi blinked through the tears of pain streaming down his face. He thought back to the saloon where he had first met Fen Long and Paiko, and had agreed to take the job of freeing Azula. At the time, it had seemed impossible. But he had been so close to pulling it off; that's what was killing him, more than the wound in his shoulder, more than his split head or broken ribs. If only they hadn't stopped in Minoto…_The last in a long line of stupid decisions._ _Well, no use crying over it now._ He knew he wouldn't be able to survive another round of beatings, and took some small comfort in the fact that he hadn't broken, hadn't told his attackers anything. His life had by no means been an easy one. But in what was what he assumed were his last few seconds, he felt a pang of regret for all of the things that he had not yet had a chance to experience in his short life. He had been so busy being on the run, he had never had time to slow down and enjoy things, to put down roots.

Nazumi wasn't a particularly religious person. He didn't have any strong feelings on what waited for people after they died, whether it was the spirit world, never-ending sleep, or reincarnation. He worshiped at the altar of practicality and expediency. If something was unknowable and unavoidable, he didn't waste any time worrying about it. He would find out what awaited him when he got there. Nazumi closed his eyes for what he thought was the last time. If nothing else, in a few moments he would be given the peace that he had never been able to find in life. "Domo," he said with a gasp, his voice barely recognizable as human. "Domo...I changed my mind...I decided to let you go..."

Domo exhaled loudly through his nose. "Friend, that was fairly stupid. As you'll soon be learning to your regret." He lifted his spear, when suddenly a cold voice interrupted him.

"You have something that belongs to me."

The mercenaries turned as a group, weapons drawn, and saw Azula standing at the entrance into the alley. Seeing her, Domo's face cracked into a smile, though his eyes remained as cold and dead as a shark's. "Your highness. We were just discussing you. How kind of you to show up. Saves us the trouble of torturing this miserable filth." He spit on the floor. "Though to be honest, hell, we're probably gonna torture him anyway, after we're done with you. We're professionals."

He walked towards her, weapon down. "Now, let's not go doing anything stupid. Come along nice and easy, and we'll make sure you make it make to the Fire Nation relatively intact. Give us trouble…and we'll make your prison cell seem like paradise."

Azula was furious, so furious she felt she would explode. The anger filled her up, consuming her, empowering her. It was as if Sozin's Comet had somehow returned a century early. She had only known Nazumi for a few days, but if it hadn't been for him, she would still be locked away in her prison cell, alone and forgotten. Now he was lying there, wounded, probably dying. She owed him, and she had let this happen to him. That was reason enough for these men to suffer. But it was more than that.

Once she had approached them, Azula had recognized the men by their tattoos as Black Forest Rangers. She knew their reputation, as casual killers with an utter disregard for life. After the fall of Ba Sing Se, she viewed using them to pacify the remaining rebel forces as a necessary action to restoring order to the city. But to see them behaving this way up close…and knowing that during the war, they had done so in her name…Azula had always prided herself on her firebending abilities and the fear that they inspired in others. Certainly, she had never had an aversion to violence; she viewed it simply as one tool among many to get people to do what she wanted. It was a way of insuring order in a chaotic world; without order and leadership, everyone suffered. And through birth, she had been born with the strength, intelligence and ability to lead. If someone was in the way of her goals, she would crush them as quickly and efficiently as possible, as one would dispose of any obstacle. But despite this, she had ‑­never thought of herself as a sadist, never hurt people for the sheer pleasure of it. She felt she had as much in common with these men as with a pack of wild, blood-crazed jackals. But in her heart, she knew that no one in the world would make a distinction between the Rangers and herself; not her family, not her former friends. _I was about to abandon the one person who cared enough to rescue me. Is there any difference between these men and myself? Is this how people see me? _Her inability to answer those questions disgusted her, and filled her with a white-hot rage.

Finally, it was the culmination of all the indignities she had suffered over the last year. To be defeated by her weakling brother and his backwater friends, on what should have been the night of her greatest triumph. To have everything stripped from her, and discarded like a piece of garbage, while the rest of the world celebrated. To be put on display for doctors and jailers while Zuko lived in the lap of luxury. And to be forced to run and hide like a wounded animal, at the mercy of men who by all rights should be kneeling at _her _feet, begging for _her _mercy, _her_, the one true Fire Lord…

Azula addressed the men in front of her in a voice utterly devoid of compassion, her face as remorseless as an executioner's hood. "You made a mistake in hurting my friend. And you made a second one in siding with my _brother,_" she said, spitting the last word out. "That will cost you your lives. In the last few days, I found out that I've lost everything. My title, my home…my honor…for a while, my mind. I want to lash out at everyone who's taken these things from me, and I can't. I can't…but you'll do."

Almost without knowing what she was doing, Azula widened her stance, and extended her left arm in a guard position. Until that moment, she hadn't known what she was going to do. She had confronted the men without any plan of how to stop them. But now, without warning, she felt something both strange and familiar building inside of her. She looked down into herself, and for the first time in a year, felt the fire burning within her, as if it had never left. It smoldered in the void that had been formed when it had gone away, all those months ago. It leapt up into her chest, filling her lungs with heat. It blazed in her eyes, causing the world to assume a reddish haze. And it roared, hungrily, in her head, quelling the warring factions of her bruised psyche. It was like reuniting with a long-lost friend.

She punched with her right hand, and let out a blast of blue fire, striking Domo in the chest and sending him flying backwards in a horrible ball of blazing light. The remaining five soldiers surged towards her almost immediately in a wave. They knew that if she was bending, their only chance was to close distance and overwhelm her. But Azula would not allow it. She waved her hand, and a wall of flame sprang up, driving them back. They retreated towards the alley's dead end, trying to see her through the smoke and flame.

The curtain of flames parted, and Azula walked slowly towards the withdrawing men, advancing on them like an avenging angel of death. The heat generated by the flames, fueled by her bloodlust, hit them like a brick wall. The thick smoke made breathing almost impossible. The men realized they had nowhere further to retreat to. The one called Yaju stepped forward and fell to one knee. Between coughs, he managed to squeeze out, "Princess…have mercy on loyal Fire Nation soldiers…we were only following orders!"

But Azula either couldn't hear him above the roaring flames, or was uninterested in showing mercy. Smiling maniacally, she lifted her hands, summoning two giant waves of flame that towered up towards the sky, and then, with a gesture, brought them crashing down on the men below.

**Next: Storm Clouds**


	8. Chapter 8: Storm Clouds

**Author's Note: This is a milestone for me: it's the (figurative) halfway mark of the story, and I'm over 20,000 words. It's also the first time I'm attempting to write Zuko and Aang. Hope I didn't screw them up too much! **

**Previously: Azula and Nazumi have encountered a group of Fire Nation bounty hunters, leading to a fight that Nazumi may not survive. Meanwhile, their actions have thrown the fragile peace that has developed since the war's end into chaos, making trouble for the new ZFire Lord and his allies… **

**Chapter 8: Storm Clouds**

Each day seemed to be a new crisis. First it was the soldiers returning home from the war, upset that the promised spoils of conquest had gone up in smoke with Ozai's dreams of world domination. Then it was the Earth Kingdom threatening to start a new war over the Fire Nation colonies which remained on Earth Kingdom territory. This was followed by the numerous demands for reparations from Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe families who had lost loved ones over the hundred years of conflict.

And then there was Azula.

Zuko looked at himself in the mirror in his bathroom, and splashed water on his face. The rings under his eyes were a testament to the few hours of sleep he was allowed in between emergencies of the state. He was beginning to see why Iroh had been so insistent that the mantle of Fire Lord pass to younger hands. _Crafty, Iroh, very crafty._ He didn't feel like a young man anymore. The past year had tested him in ways he hadn't thought possible before assuming his father's place on the throne. In many ways, the war had been easier; you knew who your enemies were, and you survived or perished. _Of course, that isn't necessarily true. I thought Aang was my enemy, and he became one of my best friends. I thought my father was a god, and now realize he was just a petty tyrant. And my sister…_

He quickly got dressed and headed to his ready room to meet with his ministers, being flanked by his royal guard as he left his private quarters. Since Azula had escaped, the entire capital was on high alert, but he still insisted on having some privacy. Actually, he was more afraid of his ministers than he was of Azula. He felt as soon as he got a handle on one problem, they brought him three more. And there was no room for mistakes; the lives of millions depended on him. If Azula only knew what ruling was really like, he supposed she would happily give up on her dreams of power. _No, that doesn't sound like her. I'm not that lucky._

When he had first been informed of her escape, he had taken a copy of the report and isolated himself in his throne room. The details of her disappearance were fascinating, but ultimately immaterial; the stranger who had freed her from her room, the empty war balloon with the mannequins. He smiled at that last part; his admirals had insisted on chasing that balloon with every ship at their disposal, and against his better judgment he had let them. He wasn't totally surprised when he found out it was a ruse. Azula was far too clever to make such an obvious head-on attack, especially from a position of weakness. But the mannequins, one of which had even been made to look like her…that didn't sound like Azula. She wasn't known for her sense of humor. And the way she just disappeared afterward...it was curious. Azula had many talents, but maintaining a low profile wasn't one of them. _Where are you, sister?_

The royal guard announced his presence and opened the door to his council room. He hated all of the trapping that came with office, but it seemed to make the other branches of government more at ease if he kept up with all of the standard formalities. Mai took great pleasure in teasing him about his supposedly rapidly swelling head. As his ministers buzzed around him, his thoughts drifted to his girlfriend. Mai had seemed almost relieved by Azula's escape. Zuko knew there was no love lost between the two, and there remained bad blood from Mai's brief imprisonment at the end of the war. But in Mai's direct way, she seemed to have found a way to forgive Azula, or at least move past their differences. Mai had been disturbed by Azula's breakdown, and had even gone so far as to suggest she felt partly responsible, a rare confession that the taciturn Mai would only make in privacy to Zuko. Zuko knew Ty Lee had felt the same way, and both former friends of Azula felt sadness at seeing her locked up like some lunatic in an isolated temple, even after the way Azula had treated them. Zuko knew the girls well enough to realize that it wasn't blind devotion that made them feel this way, but a sense of compassion for a childhood friend who had lost her way over the years.

_But what else could I have done,_ he wondered to himself for the hundredth time as he signed the numerous forms presented to him. He had visited his sister several times over the last year, against the wishes of his advisors and her physicians. But he had to see her. Growing up, he had never thought he could ever feel sorry for his sister. She had certainly spent enough time making his life miserable. And he couldn't forget the last few months of the war, when she went from hostile to downright homicidal. But the last year had given him something Azula never had: perspective. He saw how his father had marked Azula as much as himself; her scars just ran deeper. What he had seen during his visits to her had disturbed him beyond words. Azula had been a shell of a person, and every time he saw her she seemed to get worse. He had hoped that his mother may have succeeded where he had failed, but he had been unable to locate Ursa, despite Ozai's vague clues. _No two ways about it, our family's a mess. A mother who's gone missing, a father in jail, and a sister with a nervous breakdown. And now she's loose._

Zuko mused about his sister. One of Azula's greatest talents had been her ability to inspire others to serve under her. Mai, Ty Lee, the Dai Le, and countless others; at one time or another, they all had been drawn to his sister's rare combination of intelligence, charisma and daring. But Azula's greatest failing was her inability to form any lasting bonds with those who would be her allies. She would use people, and then discard them, sometimes prematurely, even when it wasn't to her advantage. Her spate of banishments during her brief reign as Fire Lord-elect was only the last, most obvious sign. She seemed pathologically unable to let herself get close to others.

Part of him wished he could let her disappear into the world. Certainly the doctors at the temple weren't helping her. At least this way, she was free. But he knew this would be a foolish course of action. She was simply too dangerous to have running around uncontrolled. And regardless of what she did or didn't do, the simple knowledge that she had escaped made his precarious position even more unstable. There were still war hawks in the military who could look rally under her banner in a bid to reignite the recently ended war, and a lasting peace with the Earth Kingdom would be impossible once they learned that the conqueror of Ba Sing Se was on the loose. No, she had to be caught, for her own good and for the good of the world.

A minister handed him a sheet of paper, wordlessly. Zuko looked down at it. Groaning inwardly, he saw it concerned his sister. _Hopefully she hasn't killed anyone…_As his eyes scanned the page, he realized he had hoped in vain. He couldn't wait for the army to find her. He would have to take a direct hand; himself, or…

"Fire Lord, the Avatar is here!"

* * *

Aang looked around the giant antechamber of the throne room and tried to look less excited. Ever since the end of the war, he had tried to make more of an effort to appear more…Avatar-like, as people expected. But he couldn't change who he was, and anyway, he hadn't seen Zuko for almost half a year. He sighed. Separations from his friends were becoming more and more common these days. Everyone had their own lives and duties now that the war was finally over. Kyoshi Island had become something of a home base for their group, but with increasing frequency Aang found that they were spread out all over the world for longer and longer periods of time. _I feel like I haven't seen Katara in weeks…and she's my girlfriend!_ Everyone seemed to think it was just part of growing up, but for Aang, who had spent a century trapped in a block of ice while the world had passed him by, his friends were literally his family. In a selfish way, he had almost been glad when Zuko had sent word that he needed help tracking down the escaped Azula. _Maybe we can do a big team-up, like in the old days…_

Aang walked around the room aimlessly, thinking about why Zuko had asked to see him. Hearing about Azula brought back a tidal wave of memories from a year ago. Learning to master the four elements; being on the run with Katara and Sokka, and later Toph; their aborted invasion of the Fire Nation; and finally, his fateful showdown with Ozai. It seemed like a lifetime ago. And now, as he was just starting to come to terms with the new state of the world and his place in it, his past had come back to haunt him. Although, he supposed, "haunt" seemed a bit harsh. Of all of them, he probably had the greatest reason to hate Azula and want revenge against her. After all, she had nearly killed him. But as the monks back at the Air Temple had taught him, revenge was a poor meal, one that would always leave the eater hungry for more. And in a way, it was partly due to his protracted sparring with Azula that had shaped him into the person who had been strong enough to face down Ozai, into who he was today. Besides, he had never truly viewed Azula as an enemy; she had been one more symptom of a world out of balance. Keeping Azula confined had been a temporary measure for her own good, but he had never considered it a final solution. Now that the world was finding its way, he hoped that he could help Azula do the same. Naturally, he didn't see anything extraordinary in these thoughts. It was simply who he was. Instead, it was his friends who marveled privately at how Aang could simultaneously be a light-hearted teenager, a powerful Avatar, and the most compassionate person they had ever met.

"Aang! Sorry I'm late!" Zuko called out as he walked into the room. The two friends embraced, like long-lost brothers. Out of their entire group of friends, Zuko and Aang had the greatest pressures put on them after the war, and were therefore more grateful for a chance to escape their duties and catch up.

"No problem, Zuko. I was just admiring your room here. It's plenty…big." Aang waved his arms around him. "I bet Appa could fit in here!"

Zuko looked worried; Aang was probably serious. "Next time, Aang. I'm afraid we won't be staying here for very long." He passed the report, which he still held in his hand, to Aang, who quickly read it. _Hmmm…disturbance in Minoto…explosions…blue flame…_

Aang looked up at Zuko. "I guess Azula figured out how to firebend again, huh?"

Zuko snatched the report back. "Unless you know of another firebender who throws blue flame, I'd say that's a pretty good guess." He didn't mean to snap at Aang, but he felt like the situation was rapidly spinning out of control. He collapsed into a nearby chair. "Aang…her firebending…do you think we made a mistake? Not taking it away when we had the chance? "

"No," replied Aang firmly, his normally carefree expression clouding over. After Azula had been locked away, Aang had received pressure from many sources to treat Azula in the same manner as Ozai, but the Avatar had adamantly refused. Zuko had been the only one who agreed with his decision, and had specifically requested that Aang give his sister a chance to redeem herself. Their reasons for doing do were different, but stemmed from the same root cause: compassion. Zuko knew that firebending was the sole joy that Azula had left; he hoped that in some way, it would help restore her to some semblance of normality. As for Aang…

"I told you all a year ago, Zuko. What I did to your father…it was a last resort. You don't know what it's like, to change someone like that. It's like…" Aang struggled to explain himself. "It's like cutting out a piece of their soul." He looked out through a window onto the courtyard below. Shuddering, he remembered the night he had faced Ozai for the last time. Ultimately, he knew he had done the right thing. The war had ended, and he hadn't had to betray his principles, hadn't had to kill anyone. But in a sense, taking away Ozai's bending had been harder than fighting him. There was a part of him that felt that the ability to alter someone so completely was too much power for anyone to have, even an Avatar. "I won't do it again. Not unless there's no other way."

Aang felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Zuko with a look of understanding on his face. "Aang, I agreed with you back then. And I still do. She's my sister, remember?" He looked back down at the report. "I just want to stop this before anyone gets hurt…including Azula."

Aang grinned; the cloud had passed, and he was back to his normal, cheerful self. "Me too. And we will, I promise. But what do you think my first step should be? Go to Minoto?"

Zuko shook his head. "No, I thought of that, but I'm sure she's long gone from there. And another thing…I'm going with you."

"What?! That's great!" Aang did a back flip and landed on a quickly summoned air scooter, then circled Zuko in excitement. "It'll be just like the good old days! But are you sure you have the time? Can get away from your other responsibilities? "

Zuko turned around, trying to face Aang as he replied. "I'll _make_ the time. She's my family, and for once I'm making that my _first_ responsibility. And I think our first stop should be to see the Earth King. He'll have gotten the same reports of blue flame over Minoto, and it won't take long for him to put two and two together. I have to get over there to reassure him we're doing everything possible to find Azula." Getting dizzy, he grabbed Aang to hold him in place. "Also, if Azula's somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, we'll need his help to find her; I can't send Fire Nation troops over there looking for her."

Aang jumped off his scooter and landed gracefully on his feet. He adopted as sly a look that his earnest face could manage. "You know, if we're going without your troops, we could probably use some help."

Zuko smiled at the Avatar. He could guess what Aang was thinking, and he agreed. They would need their friends. "You're right, Aang. Let's get the gang together; we're going to Ba Sing Se."

**Next: Truth and Reconciliation **


	9. Chapter 9: Truth and Reconciliation

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the nice reviews about last chapter. Aang and Zuko will be back, I promise, but not before some other familiar faces!**

**Previously: Nazumi has been grievously wounded by bounty hunters, and in the process of saving him, Azula rediscovered her ability to firebend. Meanwhile, Aang and Zuko have begun to mobilize against the renegade princess and her wounded escort…**

**Chapters Nine: Truth and Reconciliation**

It was night, and Azula looked out of the mouth of the cave onto the sandy beach and the azure water that lay beyond. She couldn't remember having ever been more exhausted. She felt as if she hadn't slept since escaping the Fire Nation. The last few days had been a marathon of fear, excitement, guilt, and and triumph. After defeating the soldiers who had captured Nazumi, she had found him near death from his wounds and loss of blood. Somehow, she had managed to drag his body back to Baba's house. She knew he wouldn't have wanted to put the old woman in any more danger, but at the time she couldn't think of anything else to do. To her credit, Baba had been unflappable, helping Azula to clean Nazumi's wounds and cauterize them, using a knife blade heated by the princess's recently returned bending abilities. Though Baba's eyes clearly showed that she was upset when she saw Nazumi's condition, it was the only concession she made to her emotions. _At her age, she must be used to burying her friends._

Baba arranged for a cart to take Azula and Nazumi, who was still unconscious, to a nearby cave outside of the city that Baba used from time to time to store stolen goods for her fencing operations. Both she and Azula agreed that it would be safer for them if they were outside of Minoto, away from prying eyes. What was left unsaid was that Azula and Nazumi's continued presence could lead trouble back to Baba's door. If there was anything Baba could have done to improve Nazumi's chances, Azula felt reasonably sure the old woman would have insisted on them staying, but since there wasn't…_And Nazumi would agree with her , _Azula though bitterly._ That's the world they live in. The world I live in now. _Baba gave them food, medicine and fresh clothing. Unfortunately, there were no healers within her network of criminals and thieves; Nazumi would have to pull through on his own. Azula looked at him, lying pale on the makeshift cot she had put together. He had lain there, unconscious and dreaming, since they had gotten to the cave two days ago. Since then, she had not slept, keeping watch for any more bounty hunters who could have followed them as well as for any change in Nazumi's condition.

_I'm so tired…I could just close my eyes for five minutes…_

She glanced down at her hand. She made a small flame appear in the palm of her hand. She had never used her bending to close someone's wounds before, had never realized her power could be used to save life as well as take it. What would her mother have said about that?

"I would have said that you made me proud, my darling."

Azula turned and saw Ursa's pale, beautiful face looking at her with that combination of pity and love that above all things in life managed to cut through Azula's armor to her hidden, lonely heart. "And I would say that you're a hypocrite, Mother. When the time came, you didn't hesitate to kill Azulon."

"Azula, I did what I had to do to protect your brother…and you. The two of you were more precious to me than life itself. If there's a lesson to be learned from what I did…it's that you should always protect the ones you love."

"That's a lie, Mother," Azula said, irritation in her voice. "If you were protecting us, you never would have left us alone with Father. No, you hated me because I didn't _need_ your protection, unlike your precious Zuko…well, you can have what's left of Zuko after I'm done with him. Maybe you'll be able to put him back together again."

Ursa's outline faded into the darkness, and Azula shivered. Since her escape, the voices of her past had gradually faded, and she had not had a hallucination. But now they were back, more vivid than ever. She had hoped that they had only been a symptom of the stress induced by her captivity, but if they were returning…_Am I really mad? My mind's all I have left._

Her reverie was interrupted by the appearance of Ozai's stern figure. The deposed Fire Lord was clad in his imperial robes, and looked as imposing as ever. He sneered at her, and she felt her wounded heart break. "Defeat Zuko? Not likely. You had your chance, Azula, and you failed. Miserably. You let a waterbending sow defeat the pride of the Fire Nation. I picked the wrong child, after all; Zuko was the strong one, not you."

Azula fell to her knees in front of Ozai. Despite her recent doubts over the path she had taken, she could not break the spell her father had over her, and his words cut her to the bone. "Father," Azula pleaded, "please don't say that! I _am _strong…and I can bend again. I'll take back what we lost!"

Ozai looked at her with disgust. "What _you _lost. And if you truly meant that, you would leave this fool to die in his cave."

Azula buried her face in her hands. "But father…he's my friend. The only one I have left. Don't I deserve that?" She was shocked by her own admission. She never thought of herself as needing anyone. She had spent her live surrounded by servants and sycophants who fawned over her, but she realized that in many ways she had been, due to her own actions, alone for her entire life.

"I was your friend, Azula. We both were. And we loved you."

Azula looked up, her heart pounding on hearing the familiar voice of Mai, and saw her and Ty Lee standing where Ozai had been. They looked at her with expressions similar to Ursa's, without acrimony or bitterness. And there was something different about them since the days when they had fought at her side…something had changed…

Ty Lee bent down and put a hand on Azula's shoulder. "We're happy now. And we want you to be happy too."

Azula backed away violently, her feet scrambling underneath her. "I was happy! You were my best friends!"

Mai gestured towards the unconscious Nazumi. "Look how you treat your friends, Azula. You used us, just like you used him. And just like you did with us, you'll cast him aside when you're done with him."

"No! You cast _me _aside! You betrayed _me!_ I would've done anything for you two!_" Azula_ got up and ran to the mouth of the cave. She couldn't breathe; it felt as if her lungs were filled with water. She had to get away from them, they were saying things she couldn't afford to hear. Their betrayal of her at the Boiling Rock had been like twin daggers in her heart. She wouldn't, couldn't accept that she had somehow driven them to it.

Zuko suddenly stood before her. Startled, she let out a cry and fell backwards. Standing over her, he said without emotion, "My sister, you betrayed yourself."

Azula snarled and instinctively lunged for Zuko, only to fall through his ghostly apparition. She fell out of the cave and rolled down the sandy embankment. Her brother stood over her again.

"I was no match for you; neither was Katara…especially with the power of the comet behind you. You should have been able to defeat us both. Instead, you had to resort to treachery to beat me…and Katara left you in chains. In all this time, have you ever asked yourself 'why'?

"SHE TRICKED ME!" Azula screamed, and let fly a blast of blue flame. Zuko merely walked through it, unyielding, undeniable.

"Did she? Or did some part of you finally realize that maybe Father was wrong? That _you_ were wrong? Have you ever asked yourself what _you_ want out of life?"

Azula spun from him and fell to her knees in the surf. Her heart felt like it was going to explode…what did he mean, asking that question? The answer was plain. She had always wanted to rule the Fire Nation, as far back as she could remember. Ever since she was a child…it had been all that had driven her. Every step of her life had been made towards reaching that destination. But when had it all started? And why?

In truth, she found the day-to-day responsibility of leading a nation to be crushing and onerous. She believed the daily chores of ruling to be beneath her. She would have gladly left such menial tasks to others. And the trappings of power…the servants, the palanquins…those, too, bored her, left her indifferent. In the depths of her heart, she knew it was power, raw power in and of itself, that had been her goal. The power to do whatever she wanted…to go wherever she wanted…to make people see her for who she truly was and to love her anyway, to never leave her…

Shuddering, she banished those thoughts to the dark corners of her mind. She couldn't face them. The last time she had gone down that road had been the night of the Agni Kai, and it had nearly driven her insane. She had to reclaim the throne of Fire Lord. That was all that was left to her. If she failed, her whole life would have been wasted. _It's too late to turn back. Far, far too late. _

"Zuko," she muttered, looking out at the waves, "you can say whatever you want. You can _believe_ whatever you want. But know this, my brother. I _am _coming for you. I _will_ have what is rightfully mine. And if I have to kill you to get it, then so be it."

She got up out of the surf and turned back towards the cave. Let the ghosts of her past come. She knew what she had to do.

"My niece, before you do anything rash, I would look at what you're buying, and consider what you're paying for it."

Sitting under a tree off to the side of the cave entrance was Iroh. Uncle Iroh, the Dragon of the West, the enigma of her childhood. She had always been in awe of his firebending and military prowess. When she was young, she had often wished that he were her father instead of Ozai. He had all of Ozai's strengths, with none of his coldness. But Iroh had always seemed indifferent to her. He made a show of caring her, but he always kept her at arm's length, as if he could see something in her…something rotten…

"I never thought you were rotten, Azula. I still don't. In fact, I see myself in you. I made the same mistakes when I was younger that you're making now. I thought that conquering Ba Sing Se would be my life's greatest achievement. Instead, it _cost_ me my life's greatest achievement…my son. It took his death to make me see my folly. I would see you turn aside from this path before you learn a similar lesson. If I push you away, it's because I don't want you to end up like myself. I want something better for you."

Azula reeled…to hear the Dragon speak like this…it was unthinkable. She pulled away from him, staggered back into the cave. All of them, they were trying to trick her, to distract her…she had to get away from them. They were tearing her apart.

She fell into the cave, landing on her knees. _Why are they torturing me? Why won't they leave me alone? _

"I used to think the monks were torturing me. They were always making me train and practice, and I just wanted to have fun and be a normal kid."

_He _sat there, in front of the fire, warming his hands. Aang. The Avatar. The most powerful person on the planet. Her nemesis. She recoiled involuntarily.

Except he didn't look like the most powerful person on the planet. He looked like a young boy who had, too soon in life, had the weight of the world placed on his shoulders. His normally playful eyes looked at her sadly.

"So I ran away, but I never thought it would be forever. When I woke up, and realized they were all dead…I…" Aang paused, remembering his life before falling into the ice, before the war. "I would've given anything to bring them back, just for five minutes. Given up all of my power. It wasn't worth the cost. It cost me my family. But it was too late. That's why they won't leave you alone, Azula. It's not too late for you."

Azula shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that would block out the words she was hearing. It would have been better to remain in her cell than to have to endure this. She would kill herself if it didn't stop. Unless…unless this was another nightmare, and she was still in prison, trapped in her world of dreams…

* * *

"NOOOOOO!"

She snapped her eyes open and bolted upright, breathing heavily. Daylight streamed into the cave, and the fire had long since died down. She realized she had fallen asleep. Aang wasn't there. Her family, her friends, none of them had been real. It had only been a dream. _Only a dream._ _But it was so real_… She shook her head, trying to drive what she had heard from her head, but she was unsuccessful. _They're wrong about me…they're all wrong. This is just another test. _

Suddenly she looked up at the cot, and saw Nazumi staring back at her. _He's alive!_ She had no idea how long he had been awake, watching her. She was surprised at how relieved she felt. They sat there in the sunlight, neither of them knowing what to say.

Finally Nazumi broke the silence. "They say people who talk in their dreams are either insane or brilliant."

She looked him over. He had seen better days. He was as pale as the sheets he lay on, except for the expansive bruises that covered his body, overlying a network of older scars that criss-crossed his body like the roads of a map. "So which one are you?"

He tried to stand, but couldn't make it on his own, and collapsed back into the bed. "Well, if I was brilliant we wouldn't be here. Help me up."

Azula went over to him and pulled him to his feet, surprised at how light he was. He leaned against her and sniffed the musky air of the cave in distaste. "Whew. It smells pretty bad in here. Hope it's not me."

Azula wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and they slowly made their way out of the cave and onto the beach. "It is, but I just thought that was normal for you."

"It's your fault. A good nurse would have given me a sponge bath."

Azula's temper flared. "Well, if you insist," she said with sarcasm, and dumped him into the surf.

Nazumi groaned in pain, and Azula immediately regretted her actions. _I guess he's not faking. _The thief managed to sit up, and glared at her accusingly. "You're worse than those bounty hunters. At least they were getting paid to try and kill me."

He patted the sand next to him, and Azula sat down wordlessly. They gazed at the horizon together in silence, their feet lapped by the ocean waves and their skin warmed by the bright sun. Nazumi intently worked his feet into the sand, as if trying to dig a hole for himself. Finally, he turned to Azula, and muttered in a low voice, "Princess…I'm sorry for putting you in danger…I should've known better than to-"

Azula cut him off with an elbow to the ribs, and again chastised herself silently for being too rough on him as he gasped in pain. "Stop. I'm the one who should be apologizing to you."

Nazumi looked at her, perplexed. He didn't know what confused him more; what she was saying or why she kept trying to reinjure him. "I don't understand. I almost got us killed."

Azula sighed and put her hand to her brow, sweeping back her hair. Her whole life, she had thought of herself as better and stronger than those around her; as someone born to lead. Now, she had failed that image of herself. She realized how horrible what she was about to say would sound. "Nazumi…I didn't trust you. I followed you from Baba's."

Nazumi winced again, more from shame than pain. _Damn. Another tail I missed._

Azula saw his reaction and couldn't help but be slightly amused. He had almost been beaten to death, but was more upset that he hadn't noticed her following him. She shook a finger at him. "You need to remember to check the rooftops," she said in a mock lecturing voice.

She paused, and realizing she was trying to delay what had to be said, resumed her train of thought. "I didn't know if I could believe your story, about being sent by soldiers loyal to my claim to the throne. I wanted to see where you were going. When those men chased you, I followed. And when they caught you, I…I figured I would see what happened. To see what you would say, or if you were hiding something."

She stared into his wide eyes. "But you wouldn't tell them where I was. You were willing to die rather than give me up…you've been a real friend to me and I repaid you by almost getting you killed."

She looked away from him, down the shore line. "I'm…ashamed of myself. I apologize."

She waited for a response that never came. Her face became hot. _He could at least accept my apology! _Eventually, she looked back at him and saw him staring at his hands.

"…Ashamed…Your highness, I…" He looked up at her, his face ashen. "If anyone should be ashamed, it's me. I lied to you. I'm not a hero. I'm not loyal to your cause. I'm a thief from the slums of the Lower Ring. I was _hired_ to rescue you. I'm getting _money_ to take you back to Ba Sing Se. The people who are really loyal to you are waiting for you there. I'm just a nobody that gets paid to steal things. I was paid to steal _you_."

He looked back at the ground and kicked some sand with his feet. Oddly, he felt a weight lift off of his shoulders. He made his living by lying to other people, even those he was friendly with. He would justify it to himself by telling himself that he was protecting them, or sparing them from an uncomfortable situation. But the truth was that over the years lying had become second nature to him. Now, coming clean for once in his life, he felt more relieved than he had after he and the princess had escaped in the war balloon, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Nazumi."

"You probably should have let those guys kill me. I haven't been a friend to you at all."

"Nazumi!"

He looked up at her, and saw she was smiling.

"Nazumi…do you really think I'm that naïve? I knew from the beginning you didn't break into my cell because of some noble quest to restore me to the throne." She reached down and squeezed his hand. "You're too smart to get mixed up in politics."

His mouth hung open. "You…you knew? Then why did you rescue me from the bounty hunters?"

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Because I wanted to. Because you were brave. And because you _are_ my friend. I'm beginning to realize that I need to treat my friends better." She leaned over, and kissed him on the cheek.

Nazumi felt his face become warm, and he let her words sink in. He had never heard himself described as 'brave' before. And the only time he thought of himself as 'wanted' was on a poster offering a reward for his capture. Embarrassed, he tried to shift the conversation back to her.

"That, uhhh…that was some impressive bending you did back there. I thought you were having trouble with that."

She leaned her chin on her hands. "I was. I don't really understand it myself. It's hard to explain to a non-bender, but…" She closed her eyes. "Bending is like channeling the purest, most honest aspect of yourself. I guess for a while…I forgot who I really was."

Nazumi looked confused. "So…now you remember?"

The question visibly troubled her. "I'm not sure. I'm starting to. But I _do _know that I'll find the answers I'm looking for in Ba Sing Se."

Reminded of their destination, Nazumi scowled, and started to respond. "Your highness, I should tell-"

Azula cut him off. "And that's another thing. I'm not a princess anymore, at least for now. So no more 'your highness' – it's 'Azula', got it?"

Nazumi nodded. "OK…Azula." He returned to his previous thought. "I should tell you… the men who hired me back in Ba Sing Se. They were…well, they were pretty scary. I mean, with friends like those…" He trailed off.

Azula looked at him. "Nazumi, spit it out. What are you trying to say?"

Nazumi was at a loss for words. "It's just…they don't seem like they'd be loyal to anyone. There's more to their story than what they say, I'm sure of it. They're dangerous."

Azula looked into the distance. She had been thinking about her supposed benefactors for the past few days, once the excitement of the escape had worn off. She knew it all seemed too good to be true. More likely, the men who had hired Nazumi were trying to use her for something. _But I don't know for sure! Besides, what if they are legitimate? They're my best chance of getting back the throne…I have to find out. If I don't, I'll never be sure that I did everything I could…_

Nazumi interrupted her thoughts. "Azula, listen. You're not locked into anything. I've got money, I've got contacts. I could help you disappear. You could go anywhere you want..." He knew that whatever awaited them in Ba Sing Se was not in their best interest. Every one of his instincts, honed over a lifetime of taking risks, was telling him that they should steer clear of their rendezvous with Fen Long and Paiko.

Azula shook her head. "No. I appreciate what you're offering, but…my whole life I've been moving towards a point, traveling in a single direction. I can't turn aside now, even if I wanted to. It would be the end of me. Whether I like it or not…my destiny lies in Ba Sing Se."

Nazumi shook his head. He had never heard anything so ridiculous in his life. No one's future was written in stone; his own life was proof of that. "Azula…destiny's a trap."

She smiled slyly at him. "I know it's a trap. But I'm walking in with my eyes open."

Nazumi sighed. Who ever heard of walking into a trap? It was for reasons like this that he usually worked alone. But he wasn't ready to split up with Azula just yet. She had saved his life, and he figured he owed her. Why he felt this way wasn't exactly clear to him, but he chalked that up to his injuries. And hadn't expected to be able to talk her out of it so easily._ But it's a long way to Ba Sing Se._ He offered her his hand. "You mean, _our_ eyes will be open."

Azula paused, as if she was debating whether to talk him out of it, and then shook his hand. "Very well. Look at it this way. If nothing else, we'll get you your money."

Nazumi looked back at the crashing waves. For once, money was the last thing on his mind. He wondered to himself if he was hurt worse than he realized. "Well, all right then. Look out world, here we come."

**Next: Long Way Home**


	10. Chapter 10: Long Way Home

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the helpful reviews. Gandhara, I fleshed out this chapter because of one of your suggestions, and I think it helped a lot. You rawk!  
**

**Previously: Nazumi has survived the wounds he received at the hands of bounty hunters, and has told Azula about the dangerous nature of the men who hired him to free her. Azula, however, remains determined to meet her so-called benefactors, and they continue their trek to the Earth Kingdom capital…**

**Chapter 10: Long Way Home**

The next few weeks passed relatively uneventfully for Azula and Nazumi. Following the events in Minoto, Nazumi recommended that they travel by night. He also suggested that they take a more circuitous path to Ba Sing Se. There were dozens of old smuggler's trails that led to the Earth Kingdom capital, and Nazumi seemed to know them all. Azula had to agree with him; he knew his trade. She was starting to believe that he was as good a thief as he said he was, which made his tongue-tied behavior around her even more bizarre. She doubted the Earth Kingdom authorities had any idea that the infamous Mouse of the Lower Ring and the awkward teenager traveling with her were one and the same.

For that matter, Azula still was unsure why Nazumi had agreed to continue to accompany her. She no longer suspected that he was setting a trap for her. In fact, he had gradually become more and more protective of her, insisting on what seemed to be excessive precautions during their travels. He developed detailed back stories for them that grew in complexity daily, in case they met up with any other travelers. He barely slept due to his desire to keep watch while they rested during the day. And he tried to teach her the bizarre thieves' slang of the Lower Ring, so they could communicate in secret if needed. Eventually, Azula had to gently but firmly insist that he get some rest, and managed to convince him that they were not, in fact, being actively pursued.

Azula doubted Nazumi was helping her out of some hope of a monetary reward; he was still subtlety suggesting to her whenever he got the chance that they should not make their meeting with his mysterious employers. And he didn't seem to care that she would someday be Fire Lord. At first, she was offended, thinking that he believed her goal to be an impossibility. However, she soon realized that despite his detailed planning, he preferred to concentrate only on the present, on those things that immediately affected him. A possible reward from the future ruler of the Fire Kingdom was too far down the road for him to worry about.

And Azula had to admit that Nazumi wasn't following her out of fear, as had been the case with those she lead in the past. During meals, he would tell her stories of his past jobs, and of life among the criminal element of the Lower Ring. She realized that his obsession with planning was matched by an equally strong streak of recklessness and lack of self-preservation. She initially suspected that he was embellishing some of his more noteworthy tales, but he was so up-front with his failures, which numbered equally with his successes, that she gradually realized he was telling her the truth. If anything, he seemed to have an utter disregard for his long-term survival, and instead lived each day like it was his last. No, Nazumi wasn't afraid of her; he was just just intimidated by her. She chalked it up to their different social strata and upbringings.

Still, Azula was glad that Nazumi had elected to stay with her, even though she would never say so. As odd as he was, there was no denying his competence. And despite his shady background, she felt he was trustworthy simply because he had no reason to betray her. Additionally, she didn't need to worry about appearing strong or in charge when she was with him. Partly this was due to the deferential manner in which he treated her, and partly because she knew that these qualities weren't important to him anyway. Finally, as ashamed as she felt at being a wanted criminal, he almost made her feel like it was normal, or as if she had joined an exclusive club. Once, he had even gone so far as to sneak into a nearby town while she was resting to fetch a Wanted poster displaying her face. When she woke up, he presented it to her with a shy grin, as if it was a badge of honor.

If Nazumi's internal motivations were a mystery to Azula, they went unexplored by their owner. He stayed with Azula on the command of his instincts, which had rarely steered him wrong over the years. He also felt an obligation to her after she had saved his life in Minoto, while purposefully forgetting that it was partly due to her initial inaction that his life had been endangered in the first place. The truth was, the life of a professional thief could be a lonely one. It was rare for him to have a traveling companion, especially one who was even more wanted by the authorities than he was. He finally had someone he could tell his numerous stories to without the fear that his audience would report him to the police.

And Azula was so _interesting_. She was a walking contradiction. When Nazumi had first met her, back in her cell, she seemed a psychological wreck, barely able to take care of herself. And she still had a long way to go before anyone would consider her stable. But in an instant, she could revert to the most capable and cunning of allies, able to instantly assess and take charge of any situation. A moment later, she would seem almost clueless as to the way the world really worked outside of the palaces she had grown up in, as when she told him she wished they could hire porters to accompany to Ba Sing Se. Even the way she treated him could vary from second to second. At times, she seemed like the arrogant, conceited princess that had grown up with the world at her feet, ordering him around like he was her servant. Then, in the blink of an eye, she would transform into a socially awkward teenage girl, paying him odd compliments that would end in uncomfortable silences. Still later, she would casually put on a display of firebending that showed the skill and power of a master, seemingly without realizing how impressive it was.

In fact, Azula spent a good portion of her time practicing her newly recovered bending. Her ability to form lightning was not as reliable as it used to be, and she was determined to have regained her control of it by the time they reached Ba Sing Se. She began with the basic forms that she had first learned as a child. They had been drilled into her head relentlessly by Ozai and her tutors. Back then, the pressure placed on her had been enormous, and her training sessions had been like marathons. The primary pleasure she had gotten out of her bending were the accolades she received from others.

Now, for the first time, her practice sessions didn't seem like work; free from the relentless expectations of others, she found that she had rediscovered the joys of bending for its own sake. Initially, Nazumi watched her as he recovered from his injuries. Once his wounds were more healed, he helped her out with her training, by providing her with a moving target. At first, Azula was hesitant to fire on him in his injured condition. She soon realized that her concerns were unnecessary. Even with his arm in a sling, he leapt around like a limping dervish, his preternatural speed making him virtually untouchable. Watching him casually swing from branches and flip through the air, he reminded her of an introverted, kleptomaniacal version of her former friend Ty Lee.

Things were so uneventful that Azula almost forgot that she was a fugitive. Nazumi, though, had healed enough to return to his normal scheming self, this time concerning how to convince Azula to not meet with her so-called supporters. He had gained some time when she agreed that they should stick to back roads until they reached Ba Sing Se. Even then, Azula only went along with this change in their plans with the concession that she would practice her bending daily. Nazumi knew this was far too conspicuous, but for once he needed time more than secrecy. But he was no closer to changing Azula's mind than he at the start of their journey. She simply said what she had back at the beach, that she was meeting her destiny in Ba Sing Se.

_Destiny. It must be a royalty thing,_ he thought to himself as he climbed a tree as dusk approached. Azula was breaking camp, making sure they were leaving no traces behind, and he was gaining altitude in order to scout ahead. In his experience, the only destiny people had was the one they made for themselves. He had only one more night to convince Azula of this belief; by that time, they would have reached the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se.

He reached the tree top and looked out ahead. It looked clear all the way to the capital. He glanced towards their rear, just to be cautious. He hadn't expected to see anything, but…_there._ He dropped from the tree and landed noiselessly on the ground. "Azula, we've got company."

Azula jumped up in the air, and spun on him. "Nazumi! I thought I told you to stop sneaking up on me!"

Nazumi rubbed the back of his head and shuffled from foot to foot. "Sorry…force of habit." He pointed in the direction of the capital city. "I saw a campfire a half-hour behind us. We're too close to Ba Sing Se to start changing our direction to throw them off. I'll go check it out."

Azula crossed her arms. "I'm coming with you."

Nazumi raised his hands in protest. "It's better if you don't. Two people are noisier than one. I'll sneak in, see who they are, and be right back."

Azula shook her head. "The last time I let you go running off, you were almost killed. I don't want to waste any more time having to rescue you and then nurse you back to health."

Nazumi didn't like where this was heading; after seeing her practice her bending over the last few weeks, she looked like she was ready to burn the forest down if that would get them to Ba Sing Se any faster. "Just trust me. I've gotten us this far. If I'm not back in two hours, you have my permission to come and get me."

Azula pointed at him. "I don't _need _your permission to do anything!" But Nazumi had already turned and stalked off into the darkness.

* * *

Nazumi crept closer the campfire in the distance. He hoped Azula would listen to him for once. While it was comforting to have a powerful bender guarding your back, she wasn't the subtlest person in the world, and this wasn't the time to make a show of force, not when they were so close to the Outer Wall. He heard a chorus of voices talking and laughing amongst themselves. They were familiar voices. He found a patch of darkness to listen in from.

"Ugh! I thought prison food was bad! If the war was still going on, I'd think you were trying to kill us for the Fire Nation." This came from a female voice, young.

"C'mon, Smellerbee, s'not that bad. Besides, the last time I asked you to cook you pushed me into a river!" A deeper voice, male. "Hey, Longshot, tell her it's good."

This was followed by silence. Then, the first voice, the female, resumed. "OK, OK, I know I'm complaining because I'm on edge. We all are. Sorry, Pipsqueak. It's just that…we haven't faced anyone like Azula since the war."

A new voice chimed in. This one came from a young boy. "We can take her. She's just one person…and she's a girl. HEY! No hitting!"

_One, two, three voices…there should be another… _

Another male voice chimed in. "She's not alone, guys, remember? We're tracking two people, and whoever's with her is a mystery to us. So let's not start celebrating just yet. We stick to the plan…we'll take them just outside the Outer Wall. That way, if they give us trouble, the guards will be there to back us up."

Nazumi quickly thought out the variables in his head. He knew these people. If he went back and told Azula that they were being ambushed, she would come back to deal with them, and he knew what the outcome of that would be. The voices talking around the campfire belonged to good people. They didn't deserve the same fate as the bounty hunters who had ambushed him back in Minoto. But if Azula and Nazumi proceeded to Ba Sing Se, they would be pinned between their pursuers and the guards on the Outer Wall. That would be too much for anyone to handle, even Azula, and regardless, their cover would be blown. They could try doubling back, to lose their trackers…but Azula would never agree to it, she was too close to Ba Sing Se to turn back now. And if he didn't make up his mind soon, Azula would be on her way over here anyway_._

The female voice spoke up again. "Yeah, I guess between us and the guards, we should be able to take them in without anyone getting hurt."

On an impulse, Nazumi stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the campfire. "That won't be necessary."

* * *

Back at their campsite, Azula fumed. Despite having dropped her title, Nazumi still insisted on treated her like a fragile princess, someone who needed protecting. _I'm the one who saved his life! He'd be a bloody pulp lying in the gutter if it wasn't for me!_ She got up to pace around the clearing; it was a bad habit she seemed to have picked up from Nazumi. _Well, if he wants to get killed, that's fine with me. I'm not his bodyguard. _She looked into the darkness of the forest. _I'm not like I'm worried about him or anything._ She resumed her pacing. _I'm sure they're just part of a caravan heading to the capital, not like those thugs back in Minoto…those killers…_

She stopped short. _That's right, some merchant going to Ba Sing Se…and I bet Nazumi won't be able to help himself from stealing something from them. He'll ruin everything. I'll have to go after him…to keep him from doing anything stupid. That's right. I won't let him screw us up now._ Feeling better at having made up her mind, she stormed off in the direction that Nazumi was heading.

* * *

"Nazumi!" exclaimed the small form of the Duke as he ran over to Nazumi to greet him. The others came over as well, pleasantly surprised to see the thief. Nazumi looked around at them. They were all here: the enormous Pipsqueak, the gentle giant who served as the group's muscle; Sneer, the scout, whose normally surly expression had temporarily broken into a smile; the Duke, the youngest, smallest and loudest of the five; Smellerbee, whose warm heart was hidden by her gruff exterior; and Longshot, the silent archer who Nazumi couldn't help but think of as the backbone of the group of friends.

Nazumi had met them in the messy days after the war. They were orphans, and like many who were displaced during the hundred-year war, had no homes to return to. Instead, they had volunteered to assist the government of Earth King Kuei in helping the war's refugees as they travelled across the land. The post-war period was chaotic, and the government needed all the help it could get. The group was informally deputized, all except for the Duke, who was still too young to officially help them out. The Duke still went with them on their trips, though, and in between missions they had made a new home for themselves in Ba Sing Se. That was how they had first run in to Nazumi.

It was an odd friendship. Nazumi considered anyone working for the government akin to the police, and thus suspect. Longshot and the others, for their part, were initially weary of being on good terms with someone who actively took pride in being wanted by the law. However, he had won them over with the nonviolent nature of his crimes and the way he limited his "unauthorized borrowing" of money and goods to those who could afford to have a small portion of their wealth "redistributed." They also noted that, though Nazumi would never admit it, a good portion of what he stole somehow found its way into the hands of the refugees and dispossessed that had flooded the Lower Ring since the war's end.

For his part, Nazumi was impressed with the group's selfless behavior and related to their lack of family. He was also perplexed by their ability to refuse bribes, something he had never encountered before when dealing with the Ba Sing Se police. They had an unspoken agreement; the group of five wouldn't interfere with Nazumi's criminal activities or report him to the police, and Nazumi would give them information on refugees who could use their help, and wouldn't do anything too crazy that would increase the instability of the Earth Kingdom. It was a relationship that had worked…up till now.

Nazumi would have to play this delicately. He greeted them all in turn. "Well, look at this, I'm surrounded by the heroes of the Black Sun invasion. You guys still trying to save the world?"

Smellerbee punched him in the arm. "You still trying to crack into Ba Sing Se's Top Ten Most Wanted?"

Nazumi made a mock display of hurt pride. "Smellerbee, you wound me. You know it's not easy when I'm competing against murderers and kidnappers. I'm just a thief. But have faith, I think this is my year."

They sat down around the fire. Nazumi made sure to position himself opposite from the rest of the five; it couldn't hurt to be a bit careful. _Well, better get this over with, before Azula shows up and torches the place. _"So what brings you out here in the middle of the night? You know it's a school night for the Duke."

Pipsqueak's deep voice rumbled a reply. "We're helping out King Kuei. Azula's escaped, and we're tracking her. Heck, everyone is. We heard from some villagers a few days ago that they saw blue fire deep in the forest. We've been following her ever since."

Nazumi's stomach did a back flip, and he swallowed. He hoped that he could still talk his way out of this. "Why would you guys go and get mixed up in politics? Bounty hunting doesn't seem like your usual thing."

Sneer interjected. "We're not bounty hunters, Nazumi. If we were, we'd be tracking _you." _He laughed, and tossed a stick in Nazumi's direction.

Nazumi caught it nonchalantly, and spun it around his fingers. "Glad to hear it, Sneer, I'd hate to see you guys sink so low that you'd actually become full-fledged police. I think too highly of you. But seriously…you're usually all about helping people. Why go looking for Azula?"

"We _are_ helping people," Smellerbee responded hotly. "Azula's dangerous. Who knows what she's got planned? She's probably looking for a way to restart the war."

Nazumi scowled. "You don't know that, Smellerbee. Maybe she just wanted to get out of prison. That's something we all can relate to, right?"

"I doubt that, Nazumi. She's not like us. Not like you either. Besides, she's not alone. She had help escaping. Whoever it was, they were good. Anyway, what do you care about Azula?" Suddenly Smellerbee's eyes widened. She had realized why Nazumi was out here in the forest in the middle of the night. "Oh, no. Nazumi…what have you done?"

* * *

Azula muttered profanities as she navigated the muddy terrain. She could barely see her hands in front of her. Suddenly, she slipped and fell in the mud. It was not the first time it had happened since she had set out from camp. Cursing, she clambered to her feet. She glanced down at her torn, muddied clothing, and could only imagine what she looked like. _He had better be in real trouble…or I'm going to kill him._

* * *

Nazumi stared into the fire, silent. The others had quickly realized what Smellerbee meant. Azula had supposedly been held under the tightest of security. Only a professional could have freed her, someone good at getting into and out of prisons, someone like…

The Duke looked at Nazumi with an expression of hurt and betrayal. "Nazumi…you're with Azula? You're with the Fire Nation?" The others slowly stood up to surround Nazumi. The mood had quickly shifted from friendly to hostile; the five friends still bore grudges against the Fire Nation from the war.

Nazumi knew he should be getting out of there, but he seemed to be rooted to the ground. For some reason, he felt he had to explain himself to the five young heroes. "It's not _like_ that. You know I don't care about politics. It was just a job, that's it."

Sneer asked the obvious question. "_Whose_ job, Nazumi? _Who_ hired you to free her? And more importantly, _why?_ Did you even think of that?"

Nazumi couldn't meet his gaze. "A bit, I guess. I mean, I knew it was crazy, but they were offering so much money…I just got carried away. And then…when I saw her in prison…what that place was doing to her…I had to get her out. She's just a teenager; just like us. She didn't deserve to be locked up like an animal."

Smellerbee stood in front of him. "I told you, she's _not_ like us!" She looked at the young thief, and saw his face collapse. She softened her tone, and bent down. "Nazumi…you lost everything to the war. We all did. How could you risk it starting up again?"

"Damn it, you don't get it!" Nazumi sprung to his feet and stood apart from the group, his back to them. The five, in turn, stepped back in surprise. They had never seen the normally cheerful Nazumi angry before. "You don't know what it's like, growing up in a place like that! You get locked up for a few months after your stupid invasion, and you think you understand, but you _don't._ You don't know what it does to you. Maybe you could have left her there to rot, but I couldn't."

Nazumi stood in silence, trying to control his emotions. This wasn't going the way he had pictured. Suddenly he felt someone grab his hand, and looked down to see the sad face of the Duke. "Nazumi …"

Nazumi rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Listen, I know I've made a mess of things. But I took a job to get her safely to Ba Sing Se, and that's what I'm going to do. She's my responsibility. I won't let anyone else get hurt. You know I'm good for my word."

The group said nothing. Finally, Nazumi turned to Longshot, who had remained quiet throughout their argument. Longshot merely watched Nazumi with his normal reserve. "Well, Longshot? You've not your usual chatty self. What do you have to say?"

Longshot stared at Nazumi from beneath the brim of his straw cap. "How were you planning on getting out of this?"

Nazumi looked away and kicked the dirt. The truth was, he had no idea. "I'm a long way from home."

Longshot sighed quietly, and put his hand on the thief's shoulder. "Nazumi, I know how hard you had it growing up. Seeing Azula locked up like that, it must have brought back some memories. But her situation isn't like yours was. Her prison isn't made of stone walls and metal bars…it's in her mind. Until she changes her life, she'll never be free. You may believe you're helping her, but you're not."

Nazumi scowled at Longshot, as if the archer had shot an arrow in his heart. _Damn it...he always knows what to say._ "You know, Longshot, I like you better when you don't say anything."

He eyed the former freedom fighters, people who might have been his friends, if circumstances had been different. "So what now? Are you going to turn me in?"

The others looked at each other. Nazumi tensed himself for a hasty retreat. He knew how good they were; he wouldn't be able to escape from them easily.

Then, Smellerbee stepped forward. She looked at him sadly, as if he had disappointed her. "We won't fight you, Nazumi. And we'll stop following Azula. But we'll have to let the Earth King know that we saw her. That's the best we can do. We'll let you play this your way for now. If she does try something, I think you're smart enough to know that the Avatar will stop her. But if she hurts anyone, I'm holding _you_ responsible. Do you understand me?"

Nazumi nodded and tried to look confident. "Thanks. I mean it. I…I won't forget this. And I'll make this right somehow." He gave them a shaky grin, and muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Told you this would be my year…top ten or bust."

They made their goodbyes, and Nazumi wearily headed back towards where he left Azula. He felt worse than he had after being beaten by the bounty hunters back in Minoto. For the first time, he fully appreciated how much he was caught in the eye of a storm that was gradually raging out of control.

Suddenly, he ran into a startled Azula, and they fell to the ground in a heap. He looked at her incredulously. She appeared as if she had been dragged through a riverbed. Despite himself, he started to laugh, and then quickly restrained himself when he saw the fiery look on Azula's face. "Azula…what're you doing here? What happened to you?"

Azula sputtered, trying to clean the mud off her face. "I…though you might be in trouble...I wanted to…It's so blasted dark out here, I kept falling…"

Nazumi got up and helped her to her feet. _How long had she been here?_ "Azula…did you hear any of that back there?"

Azula smoothed out her filthy clothing in a futile attempt to improve her appearances. She thought about what she had just overheard. What on earth had Nazumi meant back there? And what that archer had said...how could her situation be similar to Nazumi's? She had her questions, but they could wait until later. And the others…they had been wrong about her. She wasn't afraid of the Avatar, or anyone else. They were lucky she didn't have time to show him that personally. "I just got here. Who were those people? No trouble, I assume?"

Nazumi looked at her, relieved. There were some things that he preferred to keep to himself. "No, no trouble. Just some random travelers. No trouble at all. C'mon, let's get going. We need to make up for lost time. There's a river up ahead where we can get you cleaned up." With that, he set out back the way they had come, leading her further into the darkness.

**Next: Down and Out in Ba Sing Se  
**


	11. Chapter 11: Down and Out in Ba Sing Se

**Author's Note: I decided to change the title of this chapter, I think it fits the mood better.  
**

**Previously: Against all odds, Azula and Nazumi have reached Ba Sing Se. Their long journey together is almost at an end, and Nazumi is running out of time to dissuade Azula from her plans of conquest. But first, he wants to show her a good time...  
**

**Chapter Eleven: Down and Out in Ba Sing Se  
**

The Outer Wall loomed above their heads, stretching to touch the sun. Privately, Azula and Nazumi each breathed a sigh of relief. They were exhausted, both physically and mentally, but they had made it. For Azula, returning to Ba Sing Se brought back memories of her greatest victory during the war, when she had accomplished what all of the generals in her father's army had failed to do; when she still had her friends, Mai and Ty Lee, by her side. So much had changed since then. Now she was coming back not as a conqueror but as a fugitive, and her friends were more likely than not hunting her.

Still, rather than melancholy, the city made Azula feel safe. For the first time since escaping, she felt like she was beyond the reach of her brother and the Avatar. She had no idea of knowing that countless refugees before her, who had reached the city after fleeing the advancing Fire Nation armies, had felt the same sense of sanctuary. For his part, Nazumi was overwhelmed by a complex mix of emotion that could be summed up in two words: _I'm home._

Azula did have some lingering doubts about getting past the guards at the main gate, but once again Nazumi had thought of everything. That morning, outside of the city walls, he had produced from his proverbial bag of tricks a makeshift makeup artist's kit. Kneeling in front of her, he had painted a single, linear scar over Azula's left cheek. Initially, she had been underwhelmed by this part of his plan, but Nazumi was unperturbed.

"See, these guards see hundreds, if not thousands, of faces a day. An elaborate disguise is too complicated and if it isn't perfect, it'll just set off alarms. But a simple, memorable feature like this…at the end of the day, that's all they'll remember you by: a girl with a scar on her face." He explained this as he carefully applied the makeup to her face, concentrating like he was painting a masterpiece. "And while the guards would normally gape all day at a face like yours, they'll be too self-conscious to stare at a pretty girl with a scar for too long."

He cheeks reddened slightly as he realized what he said, and he quickly put on the finishing touches. "Anyway…around here the name 'Azula' has taken on almost mythical proportions ever since you conquered the city during the war. Most people think you're ten feet tall and have horns and bat wings. They're probably expecting you to appear in a flash of fire and brimstone, not sneak into the city like a common criminal."

He stood up and looked at his handiwork. "Perfect."

Azula felt a bit flustered herself at being described as a "pretty girl" and "perfect." She looked at her reflection in a nearby pond, and tried out her most dangerous expression. "Well, it does make me look tough. But what about you? Don't you need a disguise?"

Nazumi laughed. "Don't worry, no one ever remembers my face. I'm the kind of guy who can blend into a crowd of one."

It had gone just as Nazumi had described. Between the documentation he had prepared for them, forged of course, and her simple disguise, they passed through the gate without any problems. It almost seemed anticlimactic. But Azula wasn't complaining. After all the difficulties they had faced getting to the city walls, she was happy to avoid any trouble. She was so giddy, she felt like singing. "What's the next step, Mr. Mouse? You seem to have everything else planned out."

Nazumi was only half paying attention to her as he soaked in the familiar sights and sounds of Ba Sing Se. The city had been the one constant in a life otherwise devoid of family and lasting friendships. The race from the Fire Nation had taken its toll on him as well, and not just physically. For the first time since he had rescued Azula, he felt he could relax. Here in Ba Sing Se, he was untouchable. He could navigate the city blindfolded if he had to, could be dropped off anywhere along its teeming streets and know exactly where he was simply by looking at the cobblestones under his feet. It was his home, his fortress. Let the Fire Nation send all the bounty hunters it wanted after him now; he would see them coming before they entered the main gates.

"Well, obviously my employers haven't been waiting for us all this time. But they've been checking one of the small local papers every day for a coded message in the classified ads. Now that we're here, I'll place the message, and then they place one in response telling me when and where to meet them. The whole process should take a few days."

Azula looked at him impatiently. "A few days? What will we do in the meantime?"

Nazumi turned to Azula and gave her what he hoped was a rakish smile. "Right now, we'll get some rest. Later tonight, we can have some fun. After the last few weeks, I figure we deserve it."

Suddenly, Azula grabbed him and threw him into a nearby alley.

Nazumi gulped. He hadn't expected such a vigorous response. "Uhhh…Azula, I…I don't know what to say. I...I really like you too…"

Azula violently pointed up at the sky. "No, you idiot! Up there! Look!" Above them, flying in the sky , they saw the unmistakable image of Appa, the world's last remaining flying bison. "The Avatar's here!"

Nazumi was almost offended. The Avatar was _here..._in _his city…_trying to mess up _his _vacation! It was unacceptable. "Don't worry, Azula. We'll be safe here. Ba Sing Se's a big city, and the Avatar's hardly inconspicuous."

Azula said nothing. Her feeling of invincibility seemed to fly off with Appa.

* * *

In addition to his talents as a thief, Nazumi seemed to be a budding real estate tycoon as well. Over the years, he had purchased numerous safe houses throughout all three rings of the city. Their first stop was a small apartment he kept in one of the quieter quarters of the Middle Ring. When they arrived, Azula looked around in annoyance. It seemed as if what Nazumi had amassed in quantity, he lacked in quality. The apartment barely looked inhabited. There was no furniture to speak of except for a small bed, a table, and two chairs. The only real sign that someone actually lived there were the stacks of books that lined the walls haphazardly. Kitchen utensils were limited to one pot, one bowl, one plate, and one pair of chopsticks. The bathroom contained the bare minimum. _At least it's clean, _Azula critiqued to herself.

Nazumi looked around sheepishly. He could tell that Azula was underwhelmed with their living arrangements. "I know it's not much, but it doesn't pay in invest in a place when the law could be breaking down the door at any second. Besides, I'm usually not entertaining company."

Azula looked at him icily, her voice dripping venom. "I notice there's only one bed, _Nazumi._"

The thief almost choked on his tongue in embarrassment. "Don't worry! It's all yours! I'm used to sleeping on the floor…"

Azula sighed. "All right, I suppose it will do for a few days. What now?"

Nazumi moved to the door. "I'll go place that message that our contacts are waiting for. You can clean up and get changed for tonight. Before I left Ba Sing Se, I bought some clothing for you, to help you fit in when you got here. It should be roughly in your size. Everything's in the closet over there."

Azula looked toward where he was pointing, and then turned back to him. "Wait one minute…how do you know what size I am?" But Nazumi had already disappeared through the front door, leaving her alone.

* * *

Later that night, Azula and Nazumi strolled along the waterway that ran through the Upper Ring. Azula looked down at herself. She had been surprised and relieved to find that Nazumi's taste in clothing was on the whole both tasteful and subtle. She had been afraid that his idea of a nice outfit was a black ninja uniform made more for breaking and entering than dinner and dancing. She had teased him about that when he got back, and he had muttered with embarrassment something about not knowing what kind of clothing princesses liked.

Azula watched Nazumi out of the corner of her eye. He seemed like a fish out of water in the rarefied air of the Upper Ring. She noticed with amusement that he tried to adopt an aristocratic manner of speech when greeted by passers-by, whose reactions ranged from stunned to amused. He also made a point of showing her various places of interest along the way.

"See that? That's the Royal Gallery of Art…I stole a portrait of the eighth Earth King from there last year, nearly broke my neck climbing down the walls. And that, that's the King's Library…lifted a first edition of the Collected Works of Pu Shu in the spring. That's the Museum of Archeology…their guard dogs nearly ripped me apart one time. Over there, see, that big dome? That's the Royal Courthouse. I haven't been in there yet, and I'm hoping to keep it that way. And over there…"

Eventually they stopped at a restaurant which Azula recognized as one of the most exclusive in the city. She had eaten here once before, after conquering the city during the war. _What was Nazumi thinking, bringing us here?_ She had a sinking feeling, but Nazumi dragged her inside as if they were personally invited. He marched up to the maitre d' and said with abundant confidence, "Hello, old chap. We'll take your best table for two."

The maitre d' looked down his nose at what he obviously considered an aberration of nature. "Young master…I assume you have a reservation?"

This seemed to stymie Nazumi. "Uhhh…what?"

The maitre d' gave a sigh that could cut through glass. "A reservation, sir. It's what's normally done at most restaurants of…quality."

Nazumi was so flustered, he almost started searching his pockets. "I…uhh…seem to have forgotten it at home." Azula grimaced; she could feel the onset of a headache.

The maitre d's expression went from chilly to arctic. "Hmmm. Forgotten it. I see. Perhaps you'd better go home and find it. Or may I recommend one of the restaurants in the Lower Ring?"

Nazumi's ears turned scarlet. "Listen, pal. I can take a hint." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a few coins, then slid them into the maitre d's hand. "How's that for a reservation?"

The maitre d' looked like he had been handed a dead fish. "Young man, I don't know what you're suggesting, but…"

At this point, Azula figured she should step in before Nazumi was arrested or she died of embarrassment. "Good evening, sir. Forgive my cousin, he's from…the outer provinces," the last part said as if she was describing a leper colony. "I'm trying to raise his cultural understanding while he's visiting me. If you could please find us a table, I would love to introduce him to Chef Lum's cooking. I doubt he'll ever eat as well ever again, once he goes back to…well, you know.

The maitre d' suddenly looked as if he had finally found someone who spoke his language. "Of course, young miss, I understand completely. I also have relatives from the …" he shuddered, "…less cultured corners of our Kingdom." With that, he led them to a candlelit table by the main window of the restaurant. Azula followed him, trailed by Nazumi, who was wishing he could melt into a puddle and evaporate.

The rest of the meal went accordingly. Nazumi kept using the wrong silverware ("they all look the same when I steal them"), mispronouncing the names of the dishes ("does that come with hot sauce?"), and spilling his wine ("I'm sure it'll come out in the wash.") Azula was mortified. She figured she would have to re-conquer the city if she ever wanted to come back here again. Nazumi, in turn, felt more nervous and out of place than he ever had on any heist. By the end of the meal, they were both eager to leave, and when the waiter came by to offer them the dessert menu, they nearly bowled him over with their synchronous cry for the check.

Once outside, Azula and Nazumi both privately breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to him, and suggested, as delicately as she could, "May be we should go somewhere a little less…Upper Ring?"

Nazumi inwardly groaned. The night hadn't started the way he had imagined. He had no idea eating a meal could be so complicated. But his optimism couldn't be suppressed for long. He knew how to salvage things. _After all…all girls like shopping!_ "I know where to go. C'mon!" He grabbed Azula and, dragging her along, led her down the street.

* * *

Azula saw that Nazumi had led them back to the Middle Ring. She hadn't spent much time here during the time she ruled the city, just enough to intimidate the merchants and tradesmen who kept the city running. Nazumi was visibly more at ease in these surroundings. They strolled through one of the main thoroughfares, looking at the shops that lined the sides of the streets. Nazumi seemed to know where he was leading them. Azula grimaced to herself. _I bet he's robbed half of these stores._She looked over at the young thief. His eyes were wide, and she could almost hear the gears in his head turning. _He's probably making a mental list of what to steal the next time he's here alone. _

Finally, they stopped at a small jewelry store. Its windows were lined with rare stones and hand-crafted ornaments made of precious metals. Azula felt a sensation similar to the one she had had outside of the restaurant, and Nazumi had to bodily push her into the store.

They were approached by the sole saleswoman in the small store. She looked at them with the same expression she must have used to greet the invading Fire Nation soldiers during the war. "Hello, my young friends. Are you lost?"

Nazumi leaned nonchalantly against the nearest counter. "No, we're in the right place. My cousin here is visiting me from the family farm. She's never been to the big city before, she's more used to the simple life." He whispered to the saleswoman in a conspiratorial voice. "A bit of a hayseed."

Azula groaned rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I thought I'd get here something nice and shiny to remember her trip by. Something expensive. What've you got?"

The saleswoman looked aghast. "Young man…I doubt you could afford anything here. This isn't the place for sightseeing."

Nazumi looked at her smugly. "Don't worry about _that._ I've got _money."_ He pulled out a handful of gold coins and laid them on the counter.

The effect on the saleswoman was electrifying. After apologizing profusely and showered Nazumi with compliments on his taste and generosity, she proceeded to show Azula what seemed to be a never-ending procession of necklaces and charms.

Azula looked at the pieces laid out before her. They were so…ostentatious. They lacked the subtlety that she prized in jewelry. But Nazumi was looking at her so expectantly, she had to choose something. Finally, she selected a simply engraved platinum bracelet.

The saleswoman beamed. "An excellent choice, young miss. Why don't you wear it out?" She turned to count out the correct number of coins, and Azula managed to escape into the street, followed eventually by Nazumi.

Nazumi jogged to catch up to her. "What do you think, Azula? Nice, huh? It looks great on you. Really compliments your...uhhh...well, everything."

Azula sighed. "Thank you, Nazumi, it's very nice. But completely unnecessary. Back home in the palace, I had crates full of things like this. You didn't need to spend your money."

Nazumi's spirits sank lower than ever. _She's implacable! _But he hadn't become the best thief in Ba Sing Se by giving up easily. Of course Azula wouldn't be impressed by the culture of the Upper Ring or the wealth of the Middle Ring. She had grown up in a palace, where she had these things in abundance. But there was one more place where he knew he could show her a side of life she had never experienced. And, if he dared say so himself, he _was_ something of a celebrity there.

Azula yawned, and turned to Nazumi. "Nazumi, I'm tired. Why don't we call it a night?"

However, Nazumi had gained his second wind. He wouldn't be denied now. "Not yet, Azula, one more stop! You'll love it, I promise!" Once again, he grabbed her and led her through the crowds that filled the city streets.

* * *

Azula reckoned that by most people's standards, she had led a varied and interesting life. Between growing up as the Fire Nation princess and her travels during the war, she had seen more in her years than most people did in their entire lifetimes. But in all that time, she had never imagined she would wind up here…in front of a dive bar in the Lower Ring. During her occupation of the city, she had left the running of the Lower Ring to her administrative aides. Looking around her, she remembered why. She glared at Nazumi, who was oblivious to her discomfort._ Maybe I should have gone easier on him earlier tonight. He's getting desperate._

As they had made their way to the bar, Azula had been shocked to see that not only was Nazumi recognized as the infamous Mouse, but that he didn't seem to mind. In the Lower Ring, and especially among its more criminal elements, he was free to move about unrestrained. On top of that, he was somewhat well known. They couldn't go one block without Nazumi being greeted by a group of street urchins, an old widow, or a down-on-his-luck beggar. In addition, she noted that when he thought she wasn't looking, he would always slip a few coins to this motley fan club he seemed to have. In return, they flooded him with stories of what he had missed while he had been away; who had gotten arrested, who had escaped from prison, which merchants were expecting new shipments. As he conducted "business," the street children would look at Azula like she was a visiting dignitary and giggle shyly behind their hands.

Eventually, they managed to reach their destination. Raucous music and the sounds of a boisterous crowd could be heard coming from behind the doors, and Azula wasn't surprised to see an inebriated man sleeping on the doorstep.

She arched her eyes at Nazumi, clearly implying she would rather go back to prison than enter the tavern. But Nazumi took her arm and with manic energy pulled her through the doors.

Once inside, they were greeted by a chorus of shouted greetings by various customers in the bar, and Nazumi gave a wave in response as he dragged Azula onto the dance floor.

Azula made a half-hearted attempt to pull herself away. "Nazumi, it's late…"

Nazumi looked at her pleadingly. "C'mon, Azula, just one song. Think of it as my reward…for getting you here in one piece."

Azula grudgingly complied. One song soon became two, and then three. Azula was pleasantly surprised to find that her friend was a better than average dancer. What he lacked in formal training, he made up for in enthusiasm and agility. In between songs, random members of the crowd greeted her, not as the fugitive princess but as Nazumi the Mouse's pretty new friend. 

Between the dancing and the music, Azula lost track of time, and it was late in the night when she and Nazumi managed to pull themselves outside of the hot tavern and into the cool night air.

Nazumi leaned against the wall of the bar to catch his breath. "That was great! You're a really good dancer."

Azula breathed in the fresh air. "Yes…I suppose that was rather fun. Of course, usually I don't associate in places like that. A little low-rent for my tastes. But I suppose just this once…"

Nazumi looked at her with a hurt expression. "Right. Guess we should go." He stood up and started to walk away, not waiting for her.

Azula called out to him. "Nazumi? Nazumi! Where are you going?" She raced to catch up to him. Reaching him, she spun him around. "What's the matter with you?"

"What's the matter with me? With _ME?!_" He threw up his hands, exasperated. "What's the matter with _you? _We're in the greatest city in the world, and you've been miserable all night! It's like you've been embarrassed to be seen with me! AARGH!" He banged his head against a nearby wall. "What does it take to impress you?"

Azula's eyes blazed. "I never _asked_ you to impress me! Maybe if you just tried being yourself for once!" She pointed a finger in his chest. "All you do is try and act like a big shot, with your stories and gifts!" She took the bracelet he had bought for her off of her wrist and placed it roughly in his hands. "We've been traveling together for weeks, and I still don't really know anything about you!"

Azula didn't know why she was so angry all of a sudden; she usually had much better control of her emotions. Why had she erupted like that? Embarrassed, she turned away from him to go somewhere, anywhere else.

"Wait."

She turned towards Nazumi and yelled at him, her voice echoing down the street. "WHAT?"

He looked away, as if he was making a confession. "If you really want to know…it would be better…I mean, if you're not too tired…it would be better if I showed you."

Azula looked at the young thief. He held out his hand, looking like he expected it to be bitten off. But Azula's anger was spent, and had been replaced by curiosity. Gently, she took Nazumi's hand, and for one last time, let him lead her deep into the dark heart of the city.

**Next: The Mouse's Tale  
**


	12. Chapter 12: The Mouse's Tale

**Author's Note: Another last-minute chapter title change, with credit to Lewis Carroll. For anyone who's interested, the gang of thieves in this chapter was inspired by the movies '****Hea****t' and '****City of God', and the real-life Canadian bank robbers 'The Stopwatch Gang' (whom the movie 'Heat' was _also _based on.) Oh, yeah, in the chapter after this, the Master's identity is revealed, so stay tuned!**

**Previously: It's almost time for Azula to face her destiny and begin the first step on the road back to the throne. But before she does, she's determined to learn the truth about her ****mysterious ****friend Nazumi's past once and for all…**

**Chapter Twelve: The Mouse's Tale  
**

Azula and Nazumi headed deeper into the Lower Ring, into one of its worst slums. If Azula hadn't been such a powerful bender, she would have been afraid for her life; instead, she just felt amazement that such blight could exists side by side with the marvels of the Upper Ring. Garbage covered the streets, and rats stared up at them from the alleys with impunity. Almost every doorway was occupied by the forms of sleeping vagrants. She saw several groups of cutthroats who eyed her wearily, but apparently recognized Nazumi enough to grudgingly allow them to pass. In brief, this was the last place on earth she would ever want to be.

Eventually, they reached a building shaped like a monolithic block. It looked like a fortress out of the imagination of some misanthropic tyrant, and seemed designed not so much to contain the human spirit as to crush it beyond repair. Its appearance alone conveyed a sense of abject hopelessness. Its first story facade was made of solid rock, and the windows higher up were lined by heavy iron bars. Its front doors were made of sturdy oak and metal, and looked as if they could stand for the next thousand years without losing one iota of their durability. The doors were chained shut, and the place seemed utterly abandoned.

Azula looked the building over, and felt a chill run down her spine. _It's like Boiling Rock, like Kangoku prison in the capital back home. A place where people are locked away and forgotten…like I was forgotten. _She turned to Nazumi. She didn't know why he had brought her to this place, but she wasn't interested in staying. "Nazumi, where are we? I'm not in the mood for games. If this is another one of your stories…"

Nazumi sighed heavily. Normally a barely-restrained bundle of energy, the life had seemed to visibly drain out of him. He moved as if he was weighted down in chains. "No, no games…and not much of a story. Before they shut this place down, it was called Kojin Orphanage. I swing by here every now and then to remember where I came from. See, this is where I grew up."

Azula fell silent, embarrassed at her outburst, but Nazumi seemed not to mind. In fact, he barely seemed to notice she was there at all. He put his hand against one of the solid stone walls, as if reassuring himself that it was really there. "I never knew my parents. All I know about them was that they were war refugees living in the Lower Ring. They died when I was a baby. I didn't have any other family, so I was sent here. It was…educational."

Azula gasped involuntarily. "I'm...I'm sorry. I don't know what to say."

Nazumi shook his head. "Nothing to say, really. You can't go around blaming the world for your problems; you just have to deal with them. Believe it or not, it was even worse than it looks. There was never enough food, and no medicine. If you got sick, you had to tough it out or…" His voice trailed off. "It was all you could do to survive. But back then, that was all I knew. I thought it was normal."

He traced his hand along the wall's ancient stones. "The people who ran this place didn't care about us. They just didn't want anyone making trouble. They had rules about everything, and if you broke them, they'd lock you up for a week, two weeks, a month, whatever they felt like. And I was always getting into trouble. I used to joke that even if I ever got arrested, I'd already served enough jail time to cover a hundred years of stealing."

The street had suddenly gotten very dark, as if the building had absorbed all of the surrounding light. Azula was almost whispering, but she felt like her voice was booming in the silence that surrounded them. "How did you get out?"

Nazumi walked over to the massive doors and began playing with chains. "I used to think that one day someone would come to get me, maybe a long-lost relative or something. I'd pretend that they'd be wealthy, or from some noble family from a far-off province, or that they'd be a great warrior and take me on adventures against the Fire Nation." He glanced over at Azula. "No offense."

"None taken," said Azula with a raised eyebrow.

Nazumi slipped his lock picks out and started to half-heartedly work on the lock to the chains that sealed the door. "Anyway, one winter I got really sick. I almost died. As I was laying in bed, burning up, I realized that no one was going to come and rescue me. I was on my own. If I didn't do something for myself, I'd be there for the rest of my life. And I knew that even though I may have grown up here, that didn't mean that was all I was meant to be. Nothing was set in stone. I could be anything, anyone, if only I had the courage to try. To everyone's surprise, I got better. After that, I still got in trouble all the time. But by then, I had a purpose, a goal: escape." The lock popped open and fell to the ground with a clang.

Nazumi began to slide the chains off of the doors, lazily coiling them into loops. "I wasn't as experienced as I am now, and I had no one to teach me, so my first few attempts were pretty rough. The first time, I tried to steal an ostrich horse from the orphanage's stables. Now, I had never even rode one before, but I figured I had better pick the biggest one, because it would probably be the fastest. I guess I was pretty lucky; when it threw me, it didn't break my neck."

Despite herself, Azula stifled a giggle. She put her hand over her mouth, hoping Nazumi hadn't heard her.

"The next time, I was more or less successful, depending on how you look at it. I tried to jump off of the roof onto a passing hay cart…I wound up breaking both my legs that time."

A silent laugh escaped Azula's lips, her hand still covering her mouth.

Nazumi continued, undeterred. "When I was able to walk again, I tried to escape through the sewers that ran underneath the orphanage, and I nearly drowned."

Azula struggled to contain her laughter, holding her sides.

"After that, I figured I could start a fire in the kitchen as a diversion, and escape in the commotion. Instead, I almost choked to death on the smoke. You'd think I'd give up, but each time I was even more determined than before. And I had plenty of time to plan my next move while healing up after a previous attempt."

By now, Azula was doubled over. She couldn't help herself; the mood had been so somber, but all she could picture was Nazumi bandaged up like a mummy, scheming in a hospital bed. She felt like she hadn't laughed about anything in years. She looked up at Nazumi, and saw he was laughing too. It seemed like all of the stress of the last few weeks melted away from them. For a brief moment, they were just a pair of normal teenagers out having fun. When Nazumi had regained his composure, he continued.

"I think it was after the time I got stuck climbing up the chimney and was accidentally burned by the cook that I started making any progress. I was lying in my familiar bed in the sick ward. I was no closer escaping, and I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. Anyway, in the room, there was a locked cabinet where the wardens kept supplies and some food rations. I was starving, and I got the idea to try and open the lock. I had nothing else to do; I could barely stand up. So I took some needles that they used for suturing cuts and whatnot and I started playing with the lock. It took me all night, but by morning I was able to figure out how to pick it."

He helped Azula to her feet. "At first, I just practiced while I was laid up after a failed escape attempt. But after a while, I got to be pretty good at it. Eventually, there wasn't a lock in the whole place I couldn't open. I had been looking for some flashy exit, but I realized it could be just as simple as walking out the front door. I knew I could leave at any time I wanted. But after nearly killing myself for over a year, I found I couldn't leave."

Azula dusted herself off. "Why not?"

Nazumi had returned to the doors, and began pulling on them with all of his weight. Azula went over and began to help him. "I made up plenty of excuses. I was waiting for the winter to end, or to save up enough extra food. But the truth was that I was just scared. Not scared of escaping, or the outside world; scared that I would make it out, and then I'd get caught and brought back here."

The doors slowly started to give way with a creak, the rusty hinges offering up an angry protest.

Nazumi grunted, and forced the doors fully open. "But I remembered all of my daydreams, about being rich and famous. I knew they wouldn't happen if I stayed in this lousy place. So one night, when everyone was asleep…I did it. I opened this door, took a look outside, and I just started running. I've been running ever since."

The doors open at last, they were hit with a wave of musty air. The hall beyond the doors was obscured in darkness. It seemed like the act of returning to the scene of his first crime robbed the joviality from Nazumi once more, and he returned to his previous somber mood.

"That night, I buried Nazumi the orphan. I started out as a beggar on the streets with the other homeless refugees. Actually, it was even worse than the orphanage. It was every man for himself. You couldn't trust anyone. And it was dangerous. But at least I was free."

Azula tried to picture the easygoing Nazumi as a child, living on the mean streets of the Lower Ring. "But you were just a little boy."

Nazumi shrugged. "I grew up fast. I had to. But I was patient. I knew there was more to life than that. I just needed a chance to show the world what I was capable of. And one night, my luck took a turn for the better."

He crossed the doorway's threshold. "Now, there's always been thieves and such working out of the Lower Ring. Mostly small time stuff, not real professionals. But back then, there was a group, I guess you could call them a gang, who had set up shop there right before I escaped the orphanage. They were good, too; drove the cops crazy. Well trained, well organized...not like the usual riff-raff the locals were used to dealing with. Rumor had it they had all met up in jail at one time or another, and had decided to pool their resources once they all got out."

Azula followed him into the building. It was pitch black, but Nazumi seemed to know the floorplan by heart. She followed the sound of his voice. "Living on the streets, I would hear stories about them. Heck, once in a while I would see one of them. They were like heroes to me. Local legends, but real. There was Leto, who was a deserter from the Fire Nation army; he was an old dog, tougher than nails. Souja and Soujin, the twins - they were real hicks, from the back waters of the Earth Kingdom, but they knew how to twist the city cops into fits. Pallo, he was kind of like me, a local kid who had risen up through the ranks the hard way; and Shima..."

Nazumi sighed, reliving his childhood. "Years before I met her, she had been a university student from some Upper Ring family. She had started hanging out in the Lower Ring once in a while, just for kicks. Out of boredom, you know? Hanging out with the gangsters, playing at being a criminal. She was an adrenaline junkie. But it turned out she was really good at it...and after a while, she stopped going back to her old life. I kind of had a crush on her back then. But she was older than me, you know how it goes."

Azula cleared her throat. "Shima...isn't that what you told Baba my name was, back in Minoto?"

Nazumi's face was hidden in the darkness, so she couldn't see his expression, but she could clearly hear the discomfort in his voice. "I don't remember. Maybe."

The room was suddenly lit up, and Azula saw that Nazumi had lit a torch hanging from the wall with some spark rocks. He picked it up and continued his story. "Anyway, one night I was sleeping in an alley behind one of the local bars, and the cops showed up looking for Soujin. Soujin and the gang had been staying in some of the rooms up on the second floor. Apparently, he had been seen lifting a diamond ring from a merchant's shop in the Middle Ring. He had stolen it for his girlfriend back home. Now, the cops had every exit covered, but they must have missed me, sleeping in the trash. Soujin knew he was surrounded, so to get rid of the ring, he dropped it out of one of the windows...right on my head. But the cops weren't going to let Soujin off so easy, see? Ring or no ring, they had a witness with them...or someone they had paid enough to rat out Soujin. He was going down, as simple as that."

They headed deeper into the building, turning now and then to go down side corridors. Without realizing it, Azula moved closer to Nazumi as he continued talking. "Now, I'm sitting out back, holding this rock about as big as my fist. It's worth more money than I ever thought I'd see in my life. Even fencing it for ten percent of what it was worth, I knew I'd never have to sleep on the streets again. But I heard what was going on upstairs, through the window. And I saw the cops, leading Soujin out in chains. All I could think about was the orphanage, and wondering how much worse a place they were taking him.

Finally, they seemed to arrive at the room Nazumi was looking for. A moldy wooden door faced them, and a dusty sign to the side read 'Infirmary'. "I don't really know why I did this next thing. But I took the ring, which was for all intents and purposes my future, and I ran up to the cops. I told them _I_ had stolen it, that they had the wrong guy. This threw a fly in the ointment, see? The cops had been looking for a reason to bust Soujin or his brother for months. But here I was, confessing, with the evidence. Soujin had some bogus alibi, and I guess the witness got a look at Leto and his swords, because all of a sudden, he was telling the cops that he was pretty sure _I _was the thief after all.

Handing Azula the torch, Nazumi took out his lock picks, and in a few swift movements opened the door. "You can imagine how upset the police were, but what could they do? They arrested me, beat the hell out of me for good measure, and took me to the local precinct for lock-up. They told me that in the morning, I'd be right back at the orphanage. Just like that, my worst fears were coming true. In a few hours," Nazumi continued as he opened the door and led Azula into the infirmary,"...I'd be right back where I started."

The room smelled of antiseptic, mold and dried blood. Cobwebs hung from the empty shelves, and a thick layer of dust covered every surface. The only thing out of place was the cot in the corner, which was made with clean white sheets that looked new compared to the rest of the room. "That night was the lowest point of my life. My last night of freedom...or so I thought. Two hours before sunrise, two hours before I was supposed to be heading back to my least favorite place on earth, the door to my cell opened. Except it wasn't a cop or some guard from the orphanage, it was Shima and Pallo! They had come to spring me, see? Me, a nobody, a nothing, and they were risking their necks to break me out. I was so starstruck I could barely walk. Pallo practically had to carry me out of the cell."

Nazumi sat down on the cot, and looked up at Azula. "After that, the gang let me hang out with them. At first they just used me as a lookout for the cops when they were on jobs. I wasn't anything more than a mascot, really. But eventually, as time went on, they started teaching me the ropes. After that, school was in session. I soaked up everything like a sponge. It was like learning at the feet of the masters. You should have seen them, Azula. You'd have loved them. What a crew they were..."

Azula set the torch in holder attached to the far wall, and seated herself next to Nazumi. "What happened to them?"

Nazumi clenched his hands into fists. "Life happened, I guess. Leto eventually went back to the Fire Nation. No one's heard from him since. Soujin wound up marrying that girl, they had a bunch of kids. Real cute, too. I went out to their farm once to visit them. He was glad to see me, but his wife, she wanted me out of there. She thought I'd be a bad influence on their kids. She's probably right, too. Anyway, she doesn't want me out there anymore. Souja got all spiritual, he retired to a monastery somewhere in the country. The last time I saw him, we fought. He disagrees with what I'm doing with my life. It's funny, back when he was in the gang, he taught me half of what I know. We're not exactly on speaking terms anymore. Pallo's still around, but he went straight after his parents got too sick to take care of themselves. I still see him from time to time, but he can't really afford to be seen with a known criminal. And Shima...I guess after a while, she got bored with being a thief, too. She went back to university. She always had a good head on her shoulders. She studied law, of all things. Can you believe it? When I heard that, it really cracked me up. Anyway, she eventually became a professor, and took a job at Omashu University . She, ah...she died during the war, when the city fell."

Azula felt her heart sink. "Oh, no...Nazumi..." _How can he not hate the Fire Nation?_

Nazumi scowled at her. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me." Azula said nothing, but inwardly she was surprised at him. Nazumi had always seemed so intimidated by her. Even when she teased him, he had never snapped at her. She had touched a nerve.

Nazumi got up and involuntarily started pacing the small room. "Besides, it's not like that. There was ever anything between us. She thought of me like a kid brother. They all did. But after I heard about what happened to her...I guess I went a bit nuts. It seemed like every time I got close to someone, I would lose them. I started taking bigger and bigger risks, and taking on more and more dangerous jobs. I wanted to make a name for myself. Maybe to let the world know...that people like me, like Shima, Pallo, Leto, the twins; that people like us mattered. It doesn't matter how important a person is, how rich, how powerful. It doesn't matter how much they pretend the Lower Ring doesn't exist. No one's safe from the Mouse."

Azula started to put two and two together. What could be riskier than a mission to free the Fire Nation's highest profile prisoner? "Is that why you took the job to rescue me? Because it was dangerous?"

Nazumi stopped and looked like he was going to say something, and then cut himself short. "That was...part of it."

Nazumi had become more and more agitated as he told Azula his story, but suddenly, the tension eased out of him. He looked deflated. "I know now I'll never be a hero, or a warrior, or a nobleman. No one will ever write any stories about me, or miss me when I'm gone. But I really am the greatest thief this city's ever seen. When I'm at my best, there's never been anyone better. If I want something, I take it. No one tells me what to do, no one tells me where to go. I'm free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. There's no door in this city that's closed to me. That's something, isn't it?"

Nazumi searched Azula's face, looking for any sign of acknowledgment or understanding. Apparently, he didn't find what he was looking for, and he turned away from her and looked very intently at a patch of nothing on the floor. "That's it. That's the big secret you wanted to know. Are you happy now?"

Azula grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "Why didn't you tell me? What were you so ashamed of?"

"Ha! That's a good one," Nazumi said in a cynical tone. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you looking at me the way you are now. Like you pity me. Like I'm a loser." He leaned against a wall and slid to the ground, his hands on his his head.

Azula looked at Nazumi, sitting in the room that he had literally grown up in. Suddenly, she saw him not as the mysterious thief who had appeared in her cell in the middle of the night, but as the young orphan who had his childhood taken from him, who had never known a moment's peace, who had to fight and scratch for everything he had. Someone who had wanted so desperately to be free that he had spent his entire life running from a past he could never escape. Someone who was so afraid of losing anyone else that he kept the world at arm's length by never staying still. It would have been noble, if it wasn't so damn sad.

Azula crouched in front of him. She wasn't good at this sort of thing. No one would ever accuse her of being nurturing or empathic. But she would be damned if she would let the night end like this. "Nazumi…for someone who's so clever, sometimes you can be such a…a…a _numbskull!"_ She balled her right hand into a fist and hit him on top of his head.

He sprang to his feet, glaring at her. "OWW! Is that how you make people feel better?!"

Azula rammed an extended index finger into his chest. "Could a _loser_ have escaped from this place all on his own?"

Nazumi stared up at her sullenly.

Azula kicked him in the shin, and he hopped onto one leg in pain. "I'll tell you the answer. _No._ Could a _loser_ have gotten me out of that prison?"

"…no…" he said, hoping to avoid another kick.

"_No. _Could a _loser_ have evaded the Fire Nation army, the Avatar, and my stupid brother?"

Nazumi looked up at her. "No."

"Now you're using your head." Azula punched Nazumi in the chest for emphasis, driving the air from his lungs. "It doesn't matter where you were born, or how you grew up. You _are_ the greatest thief in Ba Sing Se. You went up against the whole Fire Nation…and you _won._ They did everything they could to keep me in prison, and _they couldn't stop you. _And…and when I'm the Fire Lord, you'll be…the Official Thief of the Fire Nation royal court. Whenever we need something stolen, you'll be the one we turn to."

Even as the words escaped her mouth, Azula cringed. _'Official Thief of the Fire Nation royal court?' I sound like an idiot! Why is it I can lead an army of soldiers in battle, and take on the Avatar in single combat, but I can't talk to anyone my own age? _She hazarded a glance at Nazumi, sure he would be furious that she had so glibly dismissed his past with the offer of a made-up position.

Nazumi was looking at the princess incredulously. He had taken Azula here on an impulse, without thinking. But _this_…He didn't know whether to be grateful for her attempt at kindness or embarrassed at his unplanned outburst of emotion. _I'm such a moron, bringing her here. What does she care about how I grew up? All she sees me as is hired help. _But Azula was being so sincere, so earnest, so…unlike herself, he didn't have the heart to protest. Also, he was tired of being hit. He cleared his throat, and muttered, "Thanks, that…means a lot. I've…never had a job with a title before."

Glad to have escaped an awkward situation, Azula nodded her head, as if she was already the Fire Lord and she was making an official proclamation. "There. I hope that's the last time I hear you call yourself a loser. Now, if you don't mind," she said, reaching into one of his pockets, "I think you have something that belongs to me."

She withdrew the platinum bracelet that Nazumi had bought her and put it on her wrist. "There. Now let's get out of here before I drop dead from exhaustion."

Azula grabbed his arm, and, in a reversal of roles, led the emotionally spent Nazumi out of the abandoned orphanage and down the lonely streets of the Lower Ring. Above them, the morning sun began to peek above the skyline, wiping away the shadows of the past night and chasing the two friends home.

**Next: Bait and Switch**


	13. Chapter 13: Bait and Switch

**Author's Note: Thanks for everyone who's continued to read and review. In case anyone was wondering, last chapter was the halfway mark.  
**

**Previously: After weeks of running, with the soldiers of the Fire Nation and the Avatar on their heels, Azula and Nazumi have made it safely to Ba Sing Se. And after a night out in the city, Nazumi has come clean to Azula about his humble origins. Now, it's time for them to do what they came to do: to meet up with the mysterious men who hired Nazumi in the first place and find out once and for all what they really want.**

**Chapter 13: Bait and Switch**

Nazumi sat in a smoky café, scanning the classifieds of the newspaper laid out on the table before him. He and Azula had spent the last few days resting, mentally preparing themselves for whatever unknown challenges lay ahead. Knowing that the Avatar was somewhere in Ba Sing Se, Azula was leery of going outside for any length of time, leaving it to Nazumi to fetch supplies and check for a response from their mysterious contact. Every time he returned home, she would harass him for news on when their meeting with his employers would take place, but so far he had received no information.

In the meantime, they tried to pass the time as best they could. Azula used Nazumi as a sounding board for her plans to move against her brother, drawing a crude map of the Fire Nation on the floor and using spare Pai Sho tiles and random odds and ends to represent various military units. Nazumi tried to participate as best he could, but he wasn't much of a military planner. His talents lay in stealth and subterfuge, not supply lines and siege warfare. When he did try to get involved, he only made things worse. Once, upon spilling a salt shaker that was supposed to represent a tank regiment, Azula angrily accused him of being careless with their troops. Another time, he had dozed off during one of her strategy sessions, only to be woken up by a sharp rap on the knuckles and an icy lecture on how in wartime, his behavior would have constituted treason.

Besides, he had other battle plans to consider; he was still racking his brains for a way to convince Azula to skip their meeting with Fen Long and Paiko. But nothing had worked, and he was becoming desperate. _ All this trouble, and isn't even worth it!_ _Leading a country seems like such a headache. If only I had a few more days, I'm sure I could change her mond…_

Nazumi turned the pages of the tabloid half-heartedly. He supposed he would be the same way if someone tried to convince him to give up being a thief go straight. He had worked hard to get to the top of the criminal food chain. He could still remember the first time he had made the front page of Ba Sing Se's most popular newspaper, after making off with a shipment of rare manuscripts by disguising himself as a professor from Ba Sing Se University. Of course, manuscripts were harder to fence than diamonds, and he had barely covered his expenses, but that hadn't seemed important at the time.

The point had been that he, a no-name orphan from the mean streets of the Lower Ring, had made the world sit up and take notice. It seemed like everyone that summer had a theory on where the mysterious Mouse had come from: a disaffected prince whose family fortune had been lost during the war, or a long-lost member of the Air Nomads. The more fantastic the theories, the more Nazumi appreciated his mundane background. When in one of his more expansive mood, he philosophized that he was striking a blow for everyone who had ever been forgotten and discarded by the world. After that first headline, he wouldn't have quit for all the gold in the world. He knew that even if the job of freeing Azula had gone as he had originally planned, and he got away clean with his promised payment, he would have been right back doing jobs as soon as the euphoria of success had faded.

Similarly, Azula had spent her whole life training expecting to become Fire Lord. And like Nazumi, it seemed that for Azula, her goal was no longer as important as her proving to the world that she could attain it. The problem was that the world disagreed with her. He didn't understand her complex plans involving feints, enfilades and naval blockades, but he knew a long shot when he saw one. And it wasn't being an accomplice to the most unlikely military coup in history that concerned him so much. He had been on Most Wanted lists for most of his life, and was used to being an underdog. But losing the crown of Fire Lord once had driven Azula to the brink; who knew what losing it a second time would do.

Nazumi avoided introspection almost as much as police stations and courthouses. It hadn't occurred to him that after he delivered Azula to Fen Long and Paiko, his responsibilities to her were over. But he had grown attached to the young princess in the past few weeks. Despite their disparate backgrounds, he saw something of himself in her…providing one looked past the elitism, violence and obsession with power. She had been just as much a prisoner of her environment as he had been, except she had never managed to break free of it, never managed to shake off the expectations of her father or her station. _Besides, she doesn't know the first thing about being a fugitive; she'd be helpless without me. _

Nazumi continues to scan the newspaper, his nimble, curious fingers becoming smudged with ink. Several minutes later, he spied a small ad at the bottom of the page, and his heart sank. Hidden among the announcements of recent weddings and notices for discount farm animals, he saw the coded message he had been looking for.

_Noon tomorrow. Warehouse corner of Moon Street and King's Highway. Bring princess, no one else._

He crumpled up the newspaper in frustration. He had run out of time.

* * *

And so the next day at noon, the unlikely pair found themselves standing in front of an abandoned warehouse in the Lower Ring. Nazumi had scouted it out the night before, but it was as nondescript and unremarkable on the inside as it appeared to be from the street. He had, for a brief moment, contemplated mentioning the message to Azula, but against his better judgment he elected to tell her the truth. Regaining the crown of Fire Lord was what she seemed to want above all else. He knew all about unrealistic dreams, and he wouldn't be the one to take hers away from her. Besides, he had thought back to what she had done to the Rangers in Minoto, and figured it was better to stay on her good side.

He looked over at Azula. She had come a long way from the delirious girl he had found locked away in the temple. Her face was set in a determined expression, and she radiated strength. Though she was still dressed in the nondescript Earth Nation peasant clothing he had bought her, she looked like anything but. She appeared every inch the warrior princess she had been during the war, no different than the day she had led the victorious soldiers of the Fire Nation through the streets of Ba Sing Se. Nazumi almost felt bad for Zuko.

Azula looked at the building in front of them. Fate was strange, to choose a place like this for her to take the first step on the path towards her destiny. She glanced at Nazumi, who looked as uncomfortable as if he were cornered by the entire Ba Sing Se City Watch.. _Strange company it chose for me, also. _"What's wrong, Nazumi? You're not scared, are you?" She tried to sound confident, in order to bolster her own courage.

Nazumi gave her a glum stare. "Well, I can't spit and my legs feel like rubber. Yeah, I guess you could say I'm scared. You?"

Azula started to reply a haughty laugh, but it died in her throat. "I…I'm nervous, I'll admit."

Nazumi, seeing his last chance to change her mind slipping away, grabbed her arm in a vice grip. "Then let's get out of here! You don't need to do this! Being Fire Lord isn't all it's cracked up to be. Look at what it's already done to you family."

Azula put her hand to her forehead in frustration. "Nazumi, we've been through this before. I can't just walk away."

Nazumi took her hand in his. "Yes, you can. It's easy. You just put one foot in front of the other."

Azula looked at his earnest face, and actually wavered for the briefest of moments. In her heart, she knew he was right. World domination was her father's dream…and now he was the most reviled man in the world, master of only his prison cell. And she could do it. She could leave her plans, her past life behind. Nazumi had the money to help them disappear. In a few years, the world would stop looking for her. She was young, smart, and powerful. She could see the world, be free of responsibilities. She could do anything she wanted in life…leave running the Fire Nation to her brother…

Her brother, who had humiliated her. Who had stolen from her everything she had ever cared about, who had turned her friends and her whole country against her. No, as long as he was Fire Lord, she could never be free. A part of her would always wonder what it felt like to sit upon the throne, to feel the power it represented, power that was greater than any flame she could summon. She could see herself, in the years ahead, alone and unloved, wondering what it would have felt like to stand before the entire world with the crown upon her head and be showered in adulation, in untempered devotion. She had had too many chances to turn away from this path over the years. It was too late for that now, too late for choice.

Azula steeled herself; the moment of wavering had passed. "I'm sorry, Nazumi. Being the Fire Lord is who I'm meant to be…just like you were always meant to be who you are. It's all I have left. I'm going to do this. I know you can't understand why. You live your life so free. But I can't be like you. You…you should go now."

Nazumi swallowed. He hated this destiny rubbish. It wasn't destiny that made him the world's best thief; it was a combination of chance, skill, desperation, instincts, and luck. Mostly luck. And those same instincts which had kept him alive this long were now telling him to get as far away from here as possible. But for once in his life, he would see things through. Whatever awaited Azula in the next few minutes, he would face it with her. Or maybe several steps behind her. "I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together. Besides…they owe me twenty thousand gold pieces."

Azula nodded at him gravely. She knew him well enough to recognize that his last comment was meant to shore up his own failing courage more than anything else. "Then let's go in there and get what's coming to us."

* * *

Azula and Nazumi walked into the cavernous warehouse with their guards up, but their caution was apparently unnecessary. The building was as benign as it had been last night, when Nazumi had made his preemptive tour. They made their way to the center of the building. It appeared utterly abandoned. The few remaining crates were moldy and cracked, and a shallow pool of dirty water coated the floor. They were bathed in silence, save for the sound of mice scurrying in the darkness.

Once Azula's initial surge of adrenaline had faded, she felt crestfallen. She had hoped for a group of elite soldiers ready to form the core of her new army. She would have accepted a few rich and disgruntled Fire Nation noblemen. And she had been prepared to fight her way out of a trap. But to find nothing…it seemed that she had traveled halfway around the world for a hoax.

"Nazumi, there's…there's nothing here. We came here for nothing." She could hear the desperation creeping into her voice. Before her eyes, her intricately crafted plans came crashing down around her. She would never regain her throne, she would never defeat her brother. She would live out the rest of her life as a fugitive, always looking over her shoulder and hiding in the shadows. The most she would ever be able to hope for was to avoid prison, dying of old age in some backwater slum.

In exasperation, she turned on Nazumi, pounding on his chest. "The message! Maybe you read the code wrong! Maybe they said to meet somewhere else, or on another day. Check it again!" But she knew Nazumi hadn't misread the message. He had likely checked it a dozen times since first reading it; he didn't make mistakes like that.

But the thief wasn't paying attention to her. He put a finger on her lips to silence her, and cocked his head with his eyes closed. He then pointed into the darkness that shrouded the far end of the warehouse. "There. We're not alone."

Azula spun to face the direction that Nazumi pointed to. She hadn't heard anything, and the shadows were as black as night. Gradually, however, two figures emerged out of the darkness. A thin, almost emaciated man with a shaved head and the face of a skull, and a stocky warrior who bristled with barely checked aggression. Azula dropped into a guard position, and the men halted several dozen feet away. There was something…wrong about the thin man. He looked ill, but in a way unlike she had ever seen. As he got closer, she could see that he was barely more than a skeleton dressed up in clothing. His irises were jaundiced, and his skin had a waxen quality. He looked like he had climbed out of his own grave, and it was clear that he would be returning there soon enough. But as frail as he looked, his eyes burned with a frightening intensity, like a zealot on the verge of a religious epiphany.

The thin man spoke with a voice bereft of emotion. "Princess Azula, please be welcome. There is no need for apprehension, though I respect your sense of caution. Master Nazumi…well done, sir. Well done indeed. You've earned your pay, and then some."

Azula glanced at Nazumi out of the corner of her eyes. "Nazumi…?"

Nazumi whispered back to her. "The walking plague victim is Fen Long. His pet wildebeest is Paiko. There's the guys who hired me. But Fen Long…he looks different than before. Sick, like. He wasn't like this when he hired me."

He then spoke to the two men in a louder voice."Well, we're here. So what now?"

Fen Long looked impassively at the two. "Now? Now, my associate here pays you, and you go on your way a wealthy man. The princess comes with us."

Azula started to respond, but Nazumi cut her off. "Not so fast. I want to know what your plans are." Azula looked at him, surprised. Usually, Nazumi wasn't so confrontational. She realized then just how scared he was.

Fen Long hesitated the span of a heartbeat before responding. "'We?' I fail to see how that concerns you, sir. You were hired to do a job, and you've done it admirably. Your involvement is no longer required."

Nazumi moved to stand in front of Azula. "Well, the deal's changed. She's not going anywhere with you until you tell us what's going on…and get back!"

Azula saw that the man Nazumi had called Paiko had started to slowly inch his way over to them. Fen Long muttered something to him, and he withdrew to where he had been previously standing._ Nazumi…what have you gotten us into? What have I gotten us into? _She looked from Nazumi to Paiko, and hoped Nazumi remembered that his show of resistance was only a bluff. If it came down to a fight between the thief and the swordsman, she had no doubts as to what the outcome would be. No, if there was a conflict, she would have to end it quick and dirty.

Azula called out to Fen Long with as much authority as she could muster. "You heard him. I've gone through a lot of trouble to be here. I was told that I would find help in getting back my title. But you look like you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. Now I have some questions that I want answered. If your answers don't please me, you'll wish you'd never heard my name. Understand?" For emphasis, she summoned a ball of blue flame in her right hand.

Fen Long addressed them again. "You are mistaken, princess. I am very well, very well indeed. The master has blessed me with but the smallest fraction of his power. And he is most eager to meet you. He is waiting for you, in the mountain caves above the city. And he has the ability to grant you all that you desire, and more."

Azula remained outwardly calm, but prepared herself for a fight. A lifetime of battles fought and won told her that without a doubt, these men were her enemies, no matter how glad they seemed to be to see her. And listening to Fen Long's ramblings, she recognized that she was talking to a madman_. He's insane. __That mean's he's unpredictable. And his appearance doesn't make him any less dangerous._

Fen Long stopped speaking. Mad or no, he must have realized that Azula would not be going anywhere with him. But neither he nor his companion made any move against her. He simply held out his hand, as if making a formal greeting. "I envy you, princess. The Master will bless you with a measure of his radiance far beyond that which he has shown me. I only wish to take you to meet him. Then, you can see for yourself. Once you have met our Master…once you have met Koh."

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed from his outstretched hand, and lanced towards the pool of water Azula and Nazumi were standing in. Even Nazumi's quick reflexes were too slow to avoid the deadly current. It arced through them, sending them into spasms of agony. Before their brains had a chance to register what had happened, they faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Katara, the Water Tribe girl, cowers in front of me. She knows there's no use in running. Her eyes burn with hatred for what I've done to her, for what I've done to Zuko. It doesn't matter. I raise my hand to cut her down, and suddenly, a wave of water engulfs us. The cold hits me like a slap in the face, and I realize I can't move. I've been frozen in mid-strike, and the pair of us are held solidly in a block of ice. Katara tricked me, she was only feigning defeat. She selectively melts the ice that surrounds her, showing a level of control I hadn't given her credit for. She steps away from me, looking at me with amusement. _

_Suddenly, Zuko appears by her side, apparently unhurt by the lightning I had struck him down with. He points at me like I'm a sideshow attraction, and the two of them start to laugh at my predicament. Mai and Ty Lee walk into view to join them, and I slowly realize that I'm surrounded. The Avatar and all of his friends, my mother, my uncle, suddenly they're all around me, laughing at me, pointing at my pathetic state. I'm trying to scream, to burn away the ice, but nothing's working, I'm so cold I can't feel my body. I'm so cold…so cold…_

…Azula opened her eyes with a gasp. She was soaked head to toe in icy water. She looked around, and found herself within a stone room whose floor was submerged in water that was a foot deep. The water streamed in from a spigot in the ceiling, and escaped through a grating in the floor. A small flight of stairs along one of the walls led up to a heavy metal door. Her arms were chained in front of her. Sitting against one of the walls was Nazumi, who was similarly chained. His head was down, and she couldn't see his face.

Azula tried to talk between chattering teeth. The cold was like a weight on her chest. "N-Nazumi…are you-"

"I'm awake." He looked up at her, his expression one of utter defeat. It looked out of place on him, and for some reason it worried her more than the ghoulish Fen Long's appearance had.

"What happened? The last thing I remember, we-"

"What happened? What happened was that I screwed up. We got taken for a ride. They knew! They knew I'd have staked out the warehouse! It was a trap right from the beginning, and I walked right into it, like a damn amateur." He kicked at the water in frustration, like a child who had been told to go to bed early.

"Nazumi, it's…it's not your fault. You couldn't have known what would happen," Azula said, her teeth chattering.

"Yes, it is! It is my fault! This is what I do! I should've known from the start that something was wrong with this whole setup, but I had to prove how good I was." He was almost shouting at her.

Azula made her way over to him, and grabbed her hands in his. They were icy cold, but she could barely feel them through her own numb fingers. "Nazumi, snap out of it. We've both been in worse situations before."

But Nazumi was inconsolable. "Azula, I'm so sorry. I never should have taken this job, never should have gotten you mixed up in this. Now I've gotten you killed."

Azula had never seen him like this before, not even after the attack at Minoto. He had given up. The realization made her feel even colder. Quickly, she ran through their options. Whoever had captured them had obviously planned well. Even without her chains, this cell effectively neutralized her bending. She couldn't generate fire soaking wet, and if she tried to throw lighting she would electrocute them both. But why go through so much trouble to catch her? If her jailers wanted her dead, why hadn't they just killed her when she was unconsciousness? They wanted her for something…and she doubted it was good.

But while their assailants may have wanted Azula alive, Nazumi was likely expendable, which meant he didn't have any protection. She also knew Nazumi would have a better chance of escape if they split up. She was who they wanted; Fen Long and Paiko probably wouldn't even pursue him. And if she did have to fight her way out of here, it would be easier on her own, without having to look out for him.

Azula grabbed Nazumi's collar and brought his face to hers. She tried to radiate calm. "Nazumi…no one's dead yet, OK? I have a plan. You have to get out of here. You've got to escape, do you understand? I want you to go get help."

Nazumi scoffed at her. "Help? Who's going to help us? The whole world will probably have a party once we're gone."

Azula started to answer, but knew he was right. Her heart sinking, she realized that there was no one she could think of who would want to help her, no one she could send Nazumi to. Her family, her former friends…they were her enemies now, as much as Fen Long and Paiko. She shivered, and not from the chill of the icy water. She had never felt more alone than she did at that moment. She looked at Nazumi, and felt her hopelessness turn to guilt. _He's blaming himself, but if we die here, it'll be my fault. He tried to talk me out of this…but I wouldn't listen. _

An amorphous plan began to materialize in Azula's mind. She was sure Nazumi would never leave her behind…knowingly. She would have to be convincing, but lying had never been difficult for her. The hardest part would be keeping the fear from her face.

Azula tried to look encouraging, as if their watery prison was only a minor setback. "Nazumi, listen carefully. I have an old family friend, on Ember Island. She's a powerful Firebender, and a former general under my father. Her name's Tajima. She still commands a garrison. I want you to go to her, tell her what happened. Tell her I need her help."

Nazumi looked at her suspiciously. "But why didn't you ever mention her? And anyway, Ember Island is days away. I'll never get back here in time."

Azula's voice sounded impossibly cheerful. Somehow, she kept it from cracking. "Well then, you'd better get going, hadn't you?"

Nazumi shook his head and crossed his arms. "No. I'm not going. I won't leave you here." She had seen this expression before, when he had stood up to the bounty hunters at Minoto. She knew it was the same willful streak that had helped him escape from the orphanage all those years ago. When he wanted to, he could be as stubborn as a mule. His mind was made up.

Azula looked for the words to crack his resolve. "You have to. There's no way you'll get us both out of here. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If they wanted to hurt me, they wouldn't have gone through this much trouble to capture me. I'll be OK until you get back. All right?"

"No. Forget it. There has to be some other way…"

_Argh!_ _Why does he have to pick this particular moment to act like a hero?! Things were so much easier when everyone was afraid of me. _"There isn't. _Please_, for once don't argue with me. Just do it my way."

They were interrupted by the sound of a bolt sliding back. The door at the top of the stairs opened, and Paiko walked into the room, looking like a grizzly bear about to disembowel its prey. Azula's stomach to her feet at the thought of being alone with someone like_ that._ If Nazumi didn't leave soon, she would lose her nerve. She whispered fiercely in his ear. "Remember, Ember Island, OK? Do this one last thing for me…please."

"What do you mean, last-"

But Azula pushed him away before he could finish. She looked haughtily up at Paiko, as if he were one of the servants from her childhood. "What do you want?"

Paiko ignored her. He looked down at Nazumi, with death in his eyes. "Time's up, boy. Koh's got no more use for you." He grabbed Nazumi by the shoulders and hauled the thief to his feet. Nazumi looked up at the man with a stony expression, but Azula could she that he was shaken.

Azula started to panic. _It wasn't supposed to be like this! He's supposed to get away! _She yelled at Paiko as he dragged Nazumi out of the room. "Wait! Where are you taking him? Put him down, I command you! Do you hear me? I command you! I'm the Fire Lord! You have to do what I say! _I'm the Fire Lord!"_

But Paiko seemed not to hear her, and slammed the door on her protestations. For better or for worse, she was on her own again.

**Next: Out of the Frying Pan  
**


	14. Chapter 14: Out of the Frying Pan

**Author's Note: Another last-minute title change, and no Azula in this chapter, but don't worry, she comes back with a vengeance in the next one! Once again, thanks for all the constructive criticism.  
**

**Previously: Azula and Nazumi have met up with their mysterious sponsors, who have revealed themselves to be agents of Koh, the Avatar's nemesis from the spirit world. The pair was quickly captured, and in an attempt to save Nazumi, Azula tried to trick him into escaping to Ember Island to enlist the aid of a fictitious general. But before her plan could take effect, Nazumi was led off, apparently to his death…**

**Chapter 14: Out of the Frying Pan  
**

Katara looked at the small crowd gathered in front of the Jasmine Dragon teashop. _So much for keeping a low profile._ When Aang had sent out notice that their extended group of friends would be meeting here to discuss the problem of the missing Azula, it had been understood that they would try to be somewhat inconspicuous. Partly. this was to avoid alerting Azula that they were on her trail. But they had also wanted to prevent any starstruck residents of the city from mobbing the Jasmine Dragon, hoping to get an autograph from one of the 'Heroes of Sozin's Comet', as the public had taken to calling them.

She winced internally. When she was a small girl, growing up in her isolated village, she had dreamed of making an impact on the world. Now, all she wished for was a little anonymity. But she supposed those days were behind her. Aang was the Avatar, Zuko had become the Fire Lord, Toph had become recognized as one of the premier Earthbenders in the world…and over the last year, the public had decided to paint her as the moral compass of the group that had faced down Ozai's forces in the war's ending days. It was all a little much.

_Although I suppose it's hard to be unobtrusive with Appa lounging in front of Iroh's shop. _As if he had read her thoughts, the enormous flying bison, who had been resting by the entrance of the tea shop, noticed Katara and lumbered over to her, licking her with affection.

"It's good to see you, too, Appa. I guess Aang's already here." She scratched the soft fur between Appa's eyes, and he grunted with contentment. By now, the crowd had noticed her as well, and gathered around the two of them. She could hear their whispers above Appa's exclamations.

"…it's her…the Avatar's girlfriend…"

"…I told you he was inside…"

"…hero of the war…"

"…should I ask for her autograph?"

Katara turned and greeted the crowd with an awkward enthusiasm. She hated disappointing others, and knew that after the hardships of one hundred years of war, the people needed heroes to look up to. It was normal for the general public acknowledge her and her friends for the part they played in restoring peace to the world. But she had hoped that after a year, things would start to calm down. She didn't want all this attention to go to their heads.

"Thanks, everyone. It's great to be back in Ba Sing Se. But if you don't mind, I'll have to excuse myself. I don't want to keep Iroh waiting, and I'm already late." Flushed with embarrassment, she shook some hands and worked her way over to the door, knocking on it with only a mild sense of urgency. 

Momentarily, the door was opened by none other than the shop's owner. Iroh embraced her like the adopted uncle he had become to her and her friends. The former Dragon of the West lifted Katara off the ground with arms that were as solid as iron, despite his age.

"Katara…it's been too long. You must be exhausted. Come in, sit down."

Katara looked Iroh over. The last year had been good to him. His shop had become a runaway success, partly due to his excellent tea, and partly due to the celebrity he had acquired as one of the liberators of Ba Sing Se. Earth King Kuei himself, having returned from his travels across the Earth Kingdom, was a frequent customer of the Jasmine Dragon. Iroh himself had never looked better. He appeared twenty years younger than his true age, and was still one of the most powerful benders in the world. But Katara could sense something was bothering him. Though he was genuinely happy to see her, his eyes betrayed some inner turmoil. Knowing Iroh like she did, Katara guessed it was because of Azula.

Katara smoothed out her clothing, which had been wrinkled slightly by Iroh's strong grip. "I'll be all right, Iroh. My trip wasn't too bad. I assume I'm the last one here?"

Iroh led her inside the tea shop, closing the door on the crowd still milling outside. "Come inside and see for yourself."

Katara followed him into the main room of the shop, and her heart swelled as she saw all of her old friends sitting around a large round table. It had been so long since they had all been together, she could barely contain her emotions. Then her eyes fell to Aang, and she stopped trying. Aang went to her and kissed her, and for a moment she forgot that they weren't alone.

"Oh, Aang. I've missed you so much." She pressed her forehead against his.

Aang's smile was so wide, it looked as if the top of his head would fall off. "I missed you too, Katara. These last few weeks have been terrible without you."

Katara felt like she could have spent the rest of the night just being held by Aang, but the pair was quickly bowled over by their other friends. Katara felt herself get lifted up in the air from behind, and heard Sokka's voice filled her ears with enthusiasm.

"Hey, sis. How's the life of a celebrity?"

Katara wriggled in his grip until she managed to reach the floor. She looked at her older brother; he hadn't changed a bit. "Not as busy as yours, 'General Sokka'," she said teasingly, using the name he had been given by some of his more enthusiastic fans. Katara looked Sokka over. He was tanned from spending so much time on Kyoshi Island, and she was amused to see he had attempted to grow a goatee. She hadn't seen her brother in months, but the bond between the siblings was one that traversed time and distance. No words needed to be said. It was something the plays and stories never seemed to get right; if Katara was the spiritual anchor of their group, then Sokka was the bedrock on which they stood.

She looked around at the others, greeting them in turn. Zuko hugged her warmly. He looked so much older than he had at the war's end, and she knew he was feeling overwhelmed with his duties as the new Fire Lord. Still, she couldn't help thinking with pride how much he had grown into the role. He no longer stood in his father's shadow; he was his own man at last. "Thanks for coming, Katara. I hate to burden you with my problems."

Katara waved his concerns aside. "Don't be ridiculous, Zuko. You know you never have to ask for my help. Besides, Azula's all our problem."

Next to Zuko was Mai, who Katara had warmed to considerably in the last twelve months. During the war, Katara had thought of Mai as cold and aloof, but she knew now that the dark-haired girl simply kept her feelings to herself, showing them only to those close to her. Katara was now one of those people, and Mai was fiercely protective of her new friend, privately impressed at how easily Katara wore her heart on her sleeve. "We're still grateful, Katara. The Fire Nation already owes you so much as it is."

Toph punched Katara in the arm, and smiled up at her. "Besides, I know you're spoiling for a rematch with Princess Psycho. Just to show people your last fight wasn't a fluke."

Katara started to look down at Toph to respond, then was taken aback at how much the Earthbender had grown in the last year. "Sorry, Toph, I'll leave the wrestling to professionals like you." Of all of them, except maybe for Sokka, Toph had enjoyed the popularity the group had earned the most. Her exploits during the war, and her ability to metalbend, had made her one of the most respected Earthbenders in the world. One happy side effect of this was that her parents had finally learned to accept that the girl they had raised so protectively was more than capable of taking care of herself.

Ty Lee cart wheeled behind Toph, and put her hand over the younger girl's mouth. "C'mon, guys, let's not talk like that. Hopefully there won't be any fighting, right?" Katara couldn't help smiling at hearing the acrobat's protest. Despite having been briefly imprisoned by Azula, Ty Lee was incapable of holding a grudge. Katara had initially been suspicious of Ty Lee's about-face at the war's end, and was leery of the Fire Nation girl's decision to join the Kyoshi Warriors. However, Katara's fears had quickly been laid to rest after getting to know Ty Lee time during her visits to Kyoshi Island to see her brother. Ty Lee didn't seem to have a malicious bone in her body, and had gone out of her way, sometimes to an amusing extent, to try and make up for her actions during the war. Eventually, Katara had managed convinced Ty Lee that there were no hard feelings. Katara had another reason for being happy to see Ty Lee, aside from the latter's pleasant nature. She knew that despite the acrobat's bubbly personality, her hand-to-hand combat skills were the best out of all of them. If Azula had regained her ability to bend, it could very well come down to Ty Lee to end any conflict before it got out of control.

Katara then matched gazes with Suki, who was rolling her eyes at Ty Lee's optimism. Katara smiled at the pragmatic Suki's expression. Suki had become something like an older sister to Katara in the past year. Katara respected Suki for her confidence, her level-headedness, and above all for her ability to keep her brother Sokka out of trouble. Seeing how Sokka doted on Suki reminded Katara of her own parents, before her mother's premature death. She also appreciated at how the hard-nosed Suki had taken the somewhat naive Ty Lee under her wing. The brief rivalry the warrior and the acrobat had shared during the war had developed into an unlikely friendship based on mutual respect for each other's fighting abilities.

Suki sighed. "Ty Lee, no one will be happier than me if you're right. But let's not start celebrating just yet."

Ty Lee turned to Suki and pouted as only she knew how to do. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"No one does, Ty Lee." replied Aang. "That's why we're all here. And now that everyone's arrived, we may as well get started."

* * *

"Time to finish this, boy."

Nazumi listened to Paiko's gravelly voice as the larger man dragged him along the darkened hallway. Nazumi looked around him, struggling to see any clue that would tell him where they were, searching for any advantage he could find. His legs felt rubbery and weak, and it wasn't just from fear. He still hadn't recovered from Fen Long's lightning attack. And Paiko's unexpected soliloquy was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"You're lucky. The Master said to make this quick and clean."

They reached a door which opened onto a rooftop. Nazumi blinked, temporarily blinded by the setting sun. He looked around frantically. From the skyline, he could see that they were still in the Middle Ring. On the left was the main post office…ahead of them was the western campus of Ba Sing Se University…it all seemed so familiar.

"So, what now?" he asked, stalling for time. He needed to figure out where they were. "You're going to talk me to death?"

Paiko dragged him across the roof. "Now, I kill you, and throw you over the side."

Nazumi turned left and right. There was no other access to the rooftop aside from the door they had just exited from, and no building close enough to jump to. "What about Azula?"

Paiko's hand tightened on his shoulder. "Don't worry about her. The Master will take care of her."

Nazumi felt a surge of anger, but fought to keep it under control. He wouldn't be helping anyone if he got killed. _Think, you idiot. There's always an escape. Keep him talking, buy some time. You've got someone counting on you. _"Aren't you worried that the police will find my body?"

Paiko showed his first sign of amusement. "I'm sure they will, but I doubt they'll care. You may think you're some big deal, but in the end you're nothing but street trash."

Suddenly, Nazumi recognized where he was. They were on top of the old Imperial Waterworks. It had been undergoing renovations for the past year, to repair damage sustained during the battle to retake the city at the end of the war. The entire building was one large construction site. _I can work with that._

Nazumi replied to Paiko over his shoulder. "I may be street trash, but at least I'm not a flunky." Nazumi pushed backwards against Paiko, as if desperate. The older man tightened his hand on Nazumi's shoulder, holding him at arm's length. Nazumi suddenly pitched over, as if he had tripped. Paiko was pulled off-balance for just a moment, but it was all Nazumi needed. He slammed his heel into the arch of Paiko's left foot, causing him to release Nazumi. It was an old move for the thief, and a well-practiced one.

But Paiko was no common street brawler. Even off balance, he was dangerous. In a blur, he brought up his sword, and it arced downward onto Nazumi head, only to be met by the chain that linked Nazumi's manacles. The sword sliced cleanly through the metal links, freeing up Nazumi's hands. Nazumi then whipped out one of the chains, and it struck Paiko above his eyes, causing him to scream in pain and frustration.

Nazumi wasn't interested in a round two. He darted to the eastern edge of the rooftop, and looked over it onto the streets far below.

Paiko wiped the blood from his eyes, and advanced on Nazumi with his sword glinting in the sunlight. There would be no more chances to surprise him. "Nowhere to run, boy."

"No such thing, Paiko. See ya around." And with that, Nazumi jumped off the roof as nonchalantly as hopping off of a chair.

Paiko rushed to the roof's edge, expecting to see a bloody corpse smashed against the sidewalk. Instead, he saw Nazumi using his cut chains to slide down one of the construction ropes that linked the waterworks to one of the adjacent buildings. Unleashing a primal roar, Paiko threw his sword at the rope, severing it just as Nazumi landed on a balcony at the rope's far side.

Paiko and Nazumi locked gazes the distance, and Paiko let out a howl of rage that sent shivers down Nazumi's spine. He knew that one way or another, this fight wasn't over. But Nazumi didn't have time to worry about Paiko. Azula needed help, and he knew that this time a thief from the Lower Ring wasn't going to cut it. He would have to move fast. But he had no intention of chasing down some made-up general on Ember Island. Azula was an excellent liar, but he was no slouch himself. No, help was as close as the Upper Ring. Nazumi darted into the depths of the building and headed down to the ground floor, disappearing into the crowded streets of the city.

* * *

Aang and his friends sat around the main table of the Jasmine Dragon, a world map laid out before them. A steaming teapot, provided by Iroh, sat in the center of the table, filling the room with the aroma of jasmine and spice. Aang glanced around the table, and realizing everyone was looking at him expectantly, decided to speak."Maybe we should start with what we do know. Almost two month ago, Azula disappeared from her cell."

Zuko interjected. "She didn't exactly disappear. She was spotted escaping by some guards. They're still in the hospital, by the way. She escaped by war balloon, but ditched it pretty quickly. Several days later, there were reports of a fight in the Earth Kingdom city of Minoto between a group of bounty hunters and a Firebender wielding blue flame. I'm assuming it was my sister."

Toph interjected. "I don't mean to sound heartless, but…wasn't she a basket case or something? How'd she even get out?" The Earthbender cracked her knuckles, unconcerned that said 'basket case's' brother and uncle were sitting beside her.

Ty Lee elbowed Toph in her side. She hated what Azula had become over the last year. She had agreed to come to this meeting out of loyalty to Suki, and with the private hope of being able to arrange a peaceful surrender for Azula. "Toph! Don't be so mean!"

Toph glared at Ty Lee. The acrobat's sweet disposition grated on Toph's nerves at times, but the brawler in her respected Ty Lee's combat abilities. Toph had to grudgingly admit that the irrepressible Ty Lee was actually one of her most difficult sparring partners. Toph also had been pleasantly surprised to find out that Ty Lee was a wrestling fan, and had followed Toph's exploits as 'The Blind Bandit' before they had ever met. However, the contrasts in their personalities were never as apparent as they were regarding the subject of Azula. Toph was not as forgiving as Ty Lee towards the former princess. She had never forgotten how Azula had almost killed Aang during her coup d'etat of Ba Sing Se. "The truth hurts, sunshine. If you can't take it, maybe you should go sit at the little kids' table."

Katara cleared her throat. "Come on, you two. Let's not start fighting amongst ourselves."

"Don't mind us, Katara," said Toph, using her most saccharine voice. "We'll be little angels." She and Ty Lee put on their biggest grins, and gave Katara a pair of exaggerated bows. The rest of them started laughing, including Katara. They were all nervous, and any chance to lighten the mood was welcome.

As usual, Suki quickly got back to business. "What do we know about her accomplice?"

Mai answered her question. "His name's Nazumi. He goes by the moniker 'The Mouse.' Apparently, he was spotted with Azula by Longbow and his friends not far from Ba Sing Se. He's a thief whom the authorities here have been trying to track down for the last few years."

Sokka interjected. "Why would an Earth Kingdom thief be helping Azula? I have to assume she's not too popular around here, what with her penchant for conquering the city and terrorizing the populace."

Zuko sighed. "We don't know why. To be honest, we don't know much about him at all. No one's even sure exactly what he looks like. He's covered his tracks pretty well in the past, and it seems like he's bribed most of the Lower Ring police who are supposed to be looking for him. But King Kuei says that he would have been capable of springing Azula."

Katara took a sip of the tea in front of her. "I'm not as concerned with this Nazumi fellow as I am with the fact that Azula's bending again. If she's still unstable, she'll be more dangerous than ever."

Aang put his head heavily in his hands. "I know. And I know most of you disagreed with my decision not to take away her bending last year. But it felt wrong. I'm not her judge and jury."

Katara took Aang's hand in hers. "No one's blaming you, Aang. We just need to know what we're dealing with."

Sokka leaned back in his chair, casually flipping a boomerang in his hands. "Well, what now? We don't even know if they were planning on entering the city. They could be anywhere. All we can do is wait for reports of a crazy girl throwing around blue flames and talking to herself." Toph snorted in amusement, and Ty Lee stared daggers at both of them.

Zuko turned to Iroh, who had been silent for most of the evening. "Uncle, what do you think? You haven't said anything."

Iroh looked at the young faces surrounding him. _They're so confident, so sure of themselves. Just like I was at their age. The world is so black and white to them. They haven't lived long enough to regret their mistakes._

The former general sighed heavily. "Zuko, you are Fire Lord. You and your friends have a responsibility to keep the world safe, and in balance. But I'm not a man of the world anymore. And I can't help but feel sadness at seeing what's become of my niece."

Zuko was dumbfounded at Iroh's comments. He still remembered nursing Iroh back to health after Azula had tried to kill their uncle. Katara answered for the stunned Fire Lord. "Iroh, surely you can't blame yourself."

Iroh looked at her with a sad smile. "Can't I? Maybe you'll understand when you're older, Katara. I remember when Azula was born. I remember holding her as an infant. I can't reconcile those memories with the girl you're hunting for now. Ozai, myself...if we had done a better job looking out for our families, maybe we wouldn't be here right now. I may not like what Azula has become...but I love her."

Zuko got up and put his hand on Iroh's shoulder. The former general had said in one sentence what had been plaguing Zuko for the last year. "Uncle..."

The rest of them allowed Iroh's words to sink in. Sokka stopped playing with his boomerang, and Ty Lee muffled a quiet sob. Even Toph had nothing sarcastic to say. Katara thought about her own family; a mother she barely remembered, a father who had been gone most of her life.

Iroh stood up. "I don't mean to dissuade you from doing what has to be done. But if you could honor an old friend's request...bring my niece back to me. Please." He turned away from the table, only to be halted by Toph's voice.

"Hey, are we expecting any company?"

Aang looked around the room. "No, we're all here. Who...?"

The main door to the tea shop suddenly slammed open, and a thin figure dressed in black barged in, staggering under the weight of a large backpack. The stranger dropped his burden heavily on the floor, and scanned the room with darting eyes. He was breathing rapidly, and his body seemed to be vibrating with a sense of barely contained urgency. He then spoke in a rapid, breathless voice. "I'm looking for a guy named Iroh. He owns this place. Is he here?"

Zuko stepped forward, protective of his uncle. "Who are you? What do you want with him?"

The stranger put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "We don't have time for twenty questions. I need to talk to Iroh right away. It's life or death."

Iroh came forward. "I'm Iroh. Whoever you are, you're welcome here. What do you have to tell me?"

The stranger looked up at Iroh, as if the answer to his question was obvious. "My name's Nazumi. People call me the Mouse. I think you're looking for me."

**Next: Coming In From The Cold  
**


	15. Chapter 15: Coming In From the Cold

**Author's Note: As promised, a bit of Azula ultra-violence. Many thanks to Another Duck for offering up his beta-reading services, it made a big difference in keeping everyone in character.  
**

**Previously: Azula and Nazumi have been captured by Fen Long and Paiko, only to learn that they are actually agents of Koh. Nazumi has managed to escape, but Azula is still a prisoner, and her fate is uncertain. Knowing Azula's uncle lives in Ba Sing Se, Nazumi goes to his shop, only to be confronted by the very people hunting for him...  
**

**Chapter 15: Coming In From the Cold  
**

Nazumi looked around at the shocked faces staring at him. _Obviously, they've heard of me. Probably a little intimidated. They've never met an A-list fugitive before. I'd better put them at ease. _"Don't worry, folks. I know I'm an infamous criminal, but I'm not dangerous. There's nothing to be afraid-"

He was cut off as Zuko grabbed him by his shirt and slammed him into a wall. Zuko glared at him with cold anger. "What have you done with my sister?"

Nazumi squirmed in Zuko's grasp. _Maybe I overdid it with the whole 'putting them at ease'._ "H-hey, I'm actually a bit dangerous..."

Zuko's voice rose in intensity. "Where's Azula? What have you done with her?"

Nazumi looked at the young man shaking him. _His sister? _His features did look familiar. And that scar... "Y-y-you... y-y-you're Z-Z-Zuko, r-r-right? Ack!"

Zuko let Nazumi go; choking him was just making him harder to understand. He couldn't believe that this unassuming teenager was the person who had caused them all so much trouble. "That's Fire Lord Zuko to you."

"Yeah, you're definitely Azula's brother, all right," Nazumi muttered, rubbing his neck. He looked around at the others. His eyes fell on the teenager with the odd tattoos who was trying to restrain Zuko, and they widened in surprise. "Holy smokes, you're the Avatar!" He ran up to Aang, grabbed his hand and started pumping it enthusiastically. "Nice job saving the world last year!"

Aang knew he should be angry, but it was hard to be mad at someone who was acting like the president of his fan club. "Uh... yeah, that's me all right. Glad to meet you... I guess."

Nazumi was practically hopping up and down. He couldn't believe his luck. He had come to the Jasmine Dragon hoping to enlist Iroh's help in rescuing Azula. She had told Nazumi about her uncle during their travels together, and what a powerful bender he was. Coincidentally, Nazumi knew the tea shop fairly well, having burgled it six months after it had reopened. But he had never expected to find the Avatar here. Fen Long and Paiko wouldn't stand a chance against him.

Nazumi then looked around the room at the other faces surrounding him. "Hey... I know you guys. Azula told me all about you." He winced. _Bad choice of words_. Most of Azula's stories about the Avatar and his friends revolved around her plans to crush them once she had raised her new army.

However, Nazumi wasn't one to be deterred, and he plowed on. "I saw that play about you guys. 'Yip yip', right? You don't look anything like I thought you would. Wow, what're you all doing here?"

Toph, who had shifted into a defensive stance, couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We're looking for you, genius."

Nazumi couldn't help but feel pride at hearing this. How could he not make the Top Ten Most Wanted list now? The entire group of heroes from the Battle of Sozin's Comet, hunting for _him. _Well, him and Azula. _Azula... Damn. Now's not the time to get sidetracked. _"Right, right. Looking for me. This is great!"

Sokka looked at Nazumi as if he had lost his mind. "You... you do know we're probably going to arrest you, right?"

But in his excitement, Nazumi had become an irresistible ball of optimism. "Any port in a storm, right?" He jabbed Sokka affectionately in the shoulder, as if they were long-lost friends. "Anyway, there's no time for that. I need your help. I was going to settle for just Iroh-" Nazumi turned quickly to Iroh. "No offense, sir."

Iroh gave Nazumi an curious look. "None taken, young man."

Nazumi nodded, the matter settled, and turned back to Sokka. "-but if you're all here, that's even better-" He was cut off by a furious Katara.

"You want our _help?_ Do you have any idea what you've done? Let's forget the fact that you're a thief and a criminal. You freed one of the most dangerous people in the world! Someone who's tried to kill everyone in this room! And now you come here, asking for _help?!_?"

Nazumi's enthusiasm dropped down a notch. This wasn't going as well as he had hoped. Naturally, they were upset. After all, he was a criminal, and they, for all intents and purposes, were the police. But he knew what language the police spoke. "Well, obviously not for _free._ I'll pay you."

He jumped, as a fireball struck the ground in front of his feet. Now it was Zuko who was yelling at him.

"_Pay us? _How stupid are you?"

Nazumi held up his hands, trying to placate the Fire Lord. No, things were definitely _not _going well. "No, no, no, it's not like that. I know you're not exactly on the best terms with Azula. Just... look, here!"

He darted over to the backpack he had entered with. Overturning it, he emptied its contents onto the floor of the teashop. Out of the bag spilled a small fortune in gold, gems, and artifacts.

"Here's what's left of the money I was paid to spring her from prison. It's yours." He picked up a sack of what appeared to be coins and threw it randomly in the air, not looking where it landed. "And here's something I got out of the Imperial Museum last year, it's gotta be worth something." He selected a small jade tiger, and again tossed it haphazardly at the friends. Sokka caught it before it smashed on the ground.

Nazumi continued to rummage through his sack, oblivious to the hard stares of the Fire Lord and his friends. "Look! This pendant belonged to the Earth King's father. It's really valuable, take it!" An ornate gold pendant came flying at the friends, this time caught by Ty Lee. "And this! I stole this from a temple back in the Fire Nation. Here!" An enormous ruby came sailing at them, and Mai plucked it out of the air.

Aang and his friends watched as Nazumi went through the contents of the bag, his voice becoming more and more frantic. Seeing him on the verge of hysterics, the anger that the friends felt slowly melted away. Eventually, Nazumi had gone through his entire war chest. His previous cheer had dissolved like the sham it was, revealing his underlying desperation. It became clear to the others that Aang and his friends were Nazumi's last and only resort.

Nazumi leaned on his knees, staring at the empty bag, as if looking for some final treasure that would convince them of his sincerity. He muttered to them in a shaky voice, "I... I've messed up really bad this time. You have to help me... I don't have anywhere else to go..."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Katara kneeling beside him. The young Waterbender had seen enough. She gazed at Nazumi with the understanding eyes of someone who knew about loss. "It's alright. My name's Katara. We'll help you."

* * *

_"Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out."_

_Azula listened to her brother's instructions, breathing in rhythm and concentrating on controlling her heart rate. They were in a small courtyard of the royal palace, away from the prying eyes of Azula's nanny and the other household servants. Azula was still too young to begin formally training in firebending, but she had begged and pleaded with Zuko daily to show her what he was learning, and he had finally relented._

_"Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out."_

_The young girl tried to maintain interest, but this wasn't what she had expected her first lesson in firebending to be like. It was so... dull! She hated to question her big brother, but maybe he was taking things too slowly.  
_

"_Zuko, this is boring! When can we start some real firebending?" Azula pouted at her Zuko, knowing that he always indulged her._

_But for once Zuko was unyielding. "Azula, firebending isn't about having fun. It's about discipline, and self-control. Without those, you'll never be able to bend safely."_

_Azula stamped her feet. "You just don't wanna show me anything. You think I'm too young, just like Mom and Dad!" She turned away from him, so he wouldn't be able to see her sly grin. He would give in now; he always had in the past. _

_Zuko crept up behind Azula and lifted her in the air_. _"That's right, Azula. You're a big baby!" He starting tickling her, and Azula began to giggle uncontrollably, her facade of anger gone. "And baby needs to take a bath!" _

_Zuko held her over the stream that ran through the courtyard, and made a motion as if to drop her into the water. "Eeee! Zuko! Don't!" Azula was now helpless with laughter. But she knew her brother would never drop her._

_Eventually, Zuko set her down safely, and knelt in front of her. He looked at her gravely. "Listen, Azula, I know it seems boring now. But this is the foundation of all firebending. If you can control your emotions, you'll be a great bender someday, I promise."_

_Azula looked up into her older brother's face. She worshiped him, and she knew he would never tell her something that wasn't true. If Zuko said these lessons were important, then she would do them. "Great like you, Zuko?"_

_Zuko grinned at Azula. "Sure. Great like me. Now let's try it again."_

_Azula resumed her basic stance, and listened for her brother's instructions._

_"OK, Azula. Once more. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out."_

_"Breath in."_

_"Breath out."_

Azula opened her eyes. She sat with her legs crossed, feeling her breath flow through her, letting her turbulent emotions become calm and still. Her brother had been right. It had been an important lesson.

Azula had not thought of that day in years. It was a memory from a different time, back before Iroh's son had died, before Ozai had become next in line for the throne, before Ursa had disappeared and Zuko had been banished. Things had been so simple back then. Occasionally, and especially when she was lonely, she wished she could go back to those carefree days, but she knew they were dead and gone.

_Zuko... It's your fault I'm in this mess. You'd better hope these men kill me. At least Nazumi has a chance. He'll get away from Paiko; that's what he does. And once he gets to Ember Island and realizes there is no General Tajima, it'll be too late... one way or the other.  
_

As if on cue, she heard the lock of the door to her cell slide open. More importantly, she didn't hear it slide shut again as Fen Long appeared at the top of the stairs leading from the door to the submerged floor on which she sat. Her jailer had gotten careless.

She looked at Fen Long, and resisted the urge to retch. He had continued to deteriorate since their meeting in the warehouse. He looked more dead than alive. She didn't want to guess what kept him on his feet.

"Princess Azula. I hope you have not been too... inconvenienced."

Azula looked upon the man with as much disdain as she could muster. "I'm fine, considering I've been electrocuted and soaked like a sponge." She resisted the urge to question Fen Long about either his motives or Nazumi's fate. She didn't want to appear desperate, although that was exactly how she felt.

Fen Long made a noise that resembled exhaling. "It was... necessary. The Master thought you would be... hesitant to meet him." He took a single, shambling step toward her.

Azula sneered at her captor. "I can't imagine why. This... Koh, was it? I've never met a man with such a sense of hospitality.

For the first time, Fen Long's face showed the briefest flicker of emotion, as if he were in rapture. "Master Koh is no mere man, Princess Azula. He is far more than that. When this world was newly formed, before man took his first step, Koh was ancient. And Koh will be there at the end, when all life has been extinguished. He is the darkness that dwells within us all, the nightmare spirit that wakens babes at night and makes them scream in terror, the great worm that stalks the mortal world."

Azula's mind raced. She had no idea what this man was talking about. She didn't know if he was in fact an agent of some malevolent spirit, or simply insane. But either way, he was no simple kidnapper or Earth Nation vigilante. "And... what does your Master want with me?"

Fen Long took another step forward. "The Master has watched you for some time now. Your enemies are his. He wishes to share his love with you. He wishes to grant you his divine power, so that you may smite the Avatar, and herald his reign over the mortal world."

_He's still too far away. _"And why would I choose to accept his gift?"

Fen Long looked at her as if she was a child. "Because his love is radiant. Because he will grant you all that you desire in life: power, wealth, and above all revenge. And because you have no choice at all."

Finally, Azula couldn't keep herself from asking any longer. "And what of my... servant?"

Fen Long's skull-like face looked at her as if she was an insect caught in a spider's web. "Why, Princess... he is dead."

* * *

"...so that's how we knew where to meet up with Fen Long and Paiko. But when we did, they ambushed us. I... I should have seen it coming, I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn't listen, and now... now they're probably gonna kill her, or worse..."

"Slow down, Nazumi," advised Mai. By general consensus, it had been decided that Mai would handle Nazumi's 'interrogation', due to her somewhat intimidating demeanor. But the thief hadn't required any convincing. In fact, it was more of a chore to get him to stop talking. After a lifetime of following the thieves' code of saying nothing during questioning, Nazumi found confessing to the friends almost cathartic. He told them about everything: the infiltration of the temple, the escape from the Fire Nation, the battle in Minoto. Well, _almost_ everything. He left out any mention of Baba, or the fact that Longshot and his friends had let Nazumi and Azula go voluntarily. After all, Aang and his group may have agreed to help him, but they were still police in his eyes, and there was no need to get anyone else in trouble. And Nazumi wouldn't be Nazumi without bending the truth a bit.

Mai rubbed her temples. Listening to him was like trying to take a drink from a waterfall. "Try and think. Did they say anything about where they were taking her? Or if they were working for anyone?"

Nazumi blinked. "Yeah, as a matter of fact they did. They said something about a Master. Koh, I think his name was. At first, I thought he was some underworld type. But if he was, I would've heard about him. And I've _never _heard that name before."

"Wait!" interrupted Aang. "What did you say this Master's name was? Did you say Koh?"

Katara looked sideways at Aang. He had mentioned Koh to her in the past, but she was still surprised at the intensity of his reaction. He looked... scared.

Nazumi picked up on Aang's anxiety. "Y-yeah, it was Koh. I'm sure of it. Is... is that bad? It's bad, isn't it?"

Aang grabbed Nazumi's shirt, which increased Katara's sense of alarm. Aang _never_ acted aggressively like this. He leaned in close to Nazumi. "Are you telling me you've never heard of Koh? That you're not working for him?"

Nazumi's eyes went wide. If this Koh person was enough to make the Avatar panic, things were worse than he thought. "Yes! I mean, no! I mean, I've never heard of him. I... I just did for the money." He looked down at his feet. For the first time in his life, saying those words made him feel ashamed, an alien sensation for him.

Aang let Nazumi go. "Guys, we need to talk. Now. Sokka, Ty Lee, can you watch him?"

Ty Lee scowled at the thief. Azula and her may have had a falling out at Boiling Rock, but Ty Lee's loyalty to her childhood friend went deeper than anyone realized. Like Iroh, she remembered an Azula from better times. She desperately needed to believe that the princess was capable of change. And now, this... _mercenary_ had managed to make her a fugitive, and get her kidnapped to boot. Ty Lee cracked her knuckles. She almost hoped he tried to escape. "You bet, Aang."

* * *

The remaining friends withdrew to the far corner of the room, and he filled the rest of them in on his past encounter with Koh.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" he asked Toph, privately hoping for a negative response.

Toph gave a hard look at Nazumi, who was sitting on the floor, looking miserable. "I don't know. I'm sure he's leaving stuff out. After all, they had to have help. But he lies like Azula. I can't get a good read on him."

Zuko had a dark look on his face. "Have any of you considered that this might be a trap? I wouldn't put it past my sister."

Katara shook her head. "No, I believe him. He came looking for Iroh, not us. And we were already after Azula in the first place. Besides, he doesn't look like he's up to pulling any tricks at the moment."

They looked over at their 'guest', who was dejectedly blowing his nose in a handkerchief and telling Ty Lee and Sokka repeatedly how sorry he was. His guards had initially been deaf to his apologies, but Nazumi was so despondent over how things had developed that their anger soon softened. The pair had gone from guarding Nazumi to trying to cheer him up, albeit without much success.

Aang ran a hand over his shaved head. "I agree with Katara. We have to assume he's telling the truth... about everything. That means that our real enemy is Koh. Whatever he's planning, I'm sure Azula is just one part of it."

Toph cracked her knuckles in anticipation. "Don't look so worried, Twinkletoes. We've whupped spirits before. Besides, how tough can a giant worm be?" She got her answer from Aang's rapidly beating heart. _Whoa. He's really scared. As in 'showdown with Ozai' scared. But... he's the Avatar. And the rest of us aren't slouches, either. How bad is this?_

Aang answered her questions, both spoken and unspoken. "You don't understand, Toph. Koh isn't just someone we can beat up on. He's an immortal spirit. Who knows what he wants with Azula?"

Zuko scowled into the flames. He was as perturbed as Aang ever since the Avatar had told him about Koh. He didn't know which scenario bothered him more: that Azula had stooped so low and become so desperate for revenge that she was working with a creature like Koh... or that his little sister was Koh's helpless prisoner. "Didn't some of your predecessors face him? Maybe they can help out."

Aang nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Avatar Kuruk probably has the most information on Koh. I'll start with him."

Katara took his hand in hers. "I hope so. I feel like we're stumbling around in the dark right now. If Azula gets an ally in the Spirit World, she'll be more dangerous than ever."

* * *

"He is dead."

Azula closed her eyes, Fen Long's words echoing in her ears. Her face remained emotionless, but inside of her, something died as well, something she had not known existed until that moment. _Nazumi... I'm so sorry. __Iroh was right; I am rotten.__ I wish I had been a better friend to you. I guess I never learned how. But there is one last thing I can do for you, maybe the only thing I'm good at.__  
_

She opened her eyes, and stared at Fen Long, her fury and blood lust hidden by an impenetrable mask. Fen long was still too far away... and she needed him to come closer. "That was... foolish. He could have been useful."

Fen Long's voice rattled in response. "It was the will of the Master. And soon, the Master will no longer have need of men such as him. But we must make haste. He awaits us."

"Then you had best unchain me."

The dying man walked towards her without any sign of apprehension. He removed a key ring from his robes, and motioned for Azula to present to him the lock of her chains.

Suddenly, Azula brought her heavy chains down on Fen Long's head with a sickening thud. He pitched forward, blood rushing from a deep laceration, and she raised up her leg to deliver an axe kick. Her heel connected with the prone man's back, and she heard the sharp crack of his spine breaking. It was a killing blow, but for good measure she brought her foot down on Fen Long's neck, connecting violently with the base of his skull. From start to finish, it had taken less than three seconds.

Azula bent down and picked up the keys from Fen Long's cold hand. She unlocked her chains, and they sank to the bottom of the submerged floor. She stared at Fen Long's body with unbridled hatred. He had gotten off easy. Now it was Paiko's turn. She would take the swordsman apart piece by piece, make him regret he had ever been born. There wasn't a hole deep enough for him to hide in. For the first time since escaping from prison, she had no lingering doubts about who she was or what she was capable of. It was oddly liberating, to know she was no longer restrained by any sense of morality. _Maybe Zuko was right to lock me up. If he thought I was dangerous before... he hasn't seen anything yet._

She turned to the door, and was halfway up the stairs when she heard the dead man's voice.

"Stop."

She jumped in surprise... or would have, if her body wasn't frozen in place. _What the... he was dead! I'm sure of it! And why can't I move?! _She couldn't even turn around to see what was happening, but she knew whatever it was, it wasn't good. Her body felt like it was made out of stone. She was helpless.

Or at least, the girl who had lost the Agni Kai would have been helpless. But Azula was no longer that girl. _No one orders me around. No one. _She focused all of her will onto her right foot. Trembling, she somehow managed to lift it off of the ground, and took a step up the stairs.

"Stop."

She felt Fen Long's iron will slam down on her body like a vise grip. She looked up at the door leading out of the cell. It seemed like it was a million miles away. There was simply no way she could reach it, but somehow her stubbornness forced her to take another step.

"Kneel."

Involuntarily, Azula fell to her knees. She felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Her breathing was ragged with strain, and she wracked her brain as to how this was happening. To lose control of her body like this...

Towards the end of the war, her father's spies had heard rumors of a Waterbender who had developed the ability to control others through their blood. But it was supposed to be a difficult technique, and was dependent on the full moon, which was two weeks away. And she had seen Fen Long bend lightning; he wasn't a Waterbender. Not to mention the fact that she had just broken his neck.

"Face me."

Azula felt her body lurch around, and saw a sight she would take to her grave. What stood in front of her may have had the shape of a human being, but it had clearly ceased being that as soon as she had broken its back. Fen Long's neck hung at a sickening angle, his eyes were wide and unfocused. His breath sounded like a death rattle.

The creature that had once been a man stared at her with its dead eyes. "You are surprised. Do not be. Bloodbending is but one of the gifts of the Master. All of the elements are his to control, and through him, mine as well."

He stroked her cheek almost affectionately, the touch of his putrid flesh making her want to retch. "You are strong, to be able to resist bloodbending. You continue to fight. That pleases the Master. And you have the blood of the Avatar in you. This makes you perfect for his needs. But if you resist, you may harm yourself. And that would not please the Master. Sleep now. Sleep. When you awaken, we will be in the Devil's Breath."

As Fen Long spoke these words, Azula saw him recede from her, down a tunnel of bright light. The darkness closed in on her from the edges, until all she knew was oblivion.

**Next: Desperate Times**


	16. Chapter 16: Desperate Times

**Previously: Nazumi has finally realized he's in over his head. Fortunately, he's managed to find Aang and his friends. But they may not be so quick to forgive him for freeing Azula. Meanwhile, Azula is in even hotter water. She's the prisoner of Koh's agents, whose ruthlessness is only surpassed by their frightening powers…**

**Chapter 16: Desperate Times**

Aang sat in the wine cellar of the Jasmine Dragon, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. Iroh had cleared him a space to meditate in private, away from the others. Nazumi had become agitated when told that Aang was going to meditate on their problems, and had suggested as an alternative a door-to-door search of the entire city. He had only relented when Mai sardonically pointed out that while they knew Koh was somehow involved, they knew nothing about the spirit's plans, including where he had taken Azula.

The storeroom was bathed in the overwhelming scents of the various teas sold upstairs, the chalky stone that made up the cellar's walks, and the cool, moldy air. The aroma was so heavy, it was almost palpable. Aang began to breath rhythmically, and allowed his senses to expand outside of his body. Gradually, he felt his body fall away from him, like he was a snake shedding its skin. The world shifted subtly beneath him, and he opened his eyes to find himself... somewhere else.

Katara had once asked him what the Spirit World was like, and he found it impossible to describe, not because he couldn't find the worlds but because he thought she wouldn't believe him. The first time he had traveled here, what he mainly noted was the feeling of synesthesia; smells seemed to be perceived as colors, and sounds left strange tastes in his mouth. Also, the Spirit World had its own menagerie of flora and fauna, which was both terrible and beautiful, and seemed like a dark reflection of the plants and animals back in the Natural World. And these were only the more obvious differences.

But Aang was no longer the boy he was before the war. He had grown in skill and power over the last year, and was by now a seasoned traveler of the Spirit World. So it came as no surprise to him that when he opened his eyes, he was looking across at Avatar Kuruk.

Kuruk looked much as Aang had remembered him. He was dressed as a Water Tribe warrior, and at his side lay a hunting spear. But his eyes, which were normally playful, stared back coldly from a stone-like face.

"Hello, Aang. It's good to see you. I assume you're here about Koh," he said, spitting out the name of the spirit, as if it was poisonous. "There isn't much time."

Aang practically bowled Kuruk over with his response. "Kuruk! What's going on? What does Koh want with Azula? Where has he taken her? Why is he doing this now? When-"

Kuruk held up his hands, practically in self-defense. "Aang! One at a time, please!" Kuruk shook his head. Sometimes, he forgot how young Aang really was. When Kuruk had been his age, he hadn't even been close to mastering all of the elements. He wished he could have spared Aang what lay ahead of him, but there was no other way. _Young or not, he's a fully realized Avatar. He has to know._

"Aang," Kuruk began to explain, "of all your powers, the greatest is your ability to cross over to the Spirit World at will. It's an ability almost unique to the Avatar, and in it's own way is more powerful than of your bending. Only the mightiest denizens of the Spirit World can do that."

Aang beamed with pride at his previous incarnation. "Yeah, it's pretty cool."

Kuruk gave Aang a hard stare. "Focus, Aang. Thousands of lives are at stake."

Aang blinked, and assumed a seated position with his legs crossed. "I'm sorry, Avatar Kuruk. Please, share with me your wisdom." In an instant, Aang went from a teenage boy to the young man who had defeated the Phoenix King and saved the world from a war without end.

Kuruk nodded. "As I was saying, only very powerful spirits can cross over to the Natural World. Spirits like Koh. Or at least, like Koh used to be able to. Back when man was young, the other inhabitants of the Spirit World recognized Koh for what he was, and the evil he was capable of, and worked in concert to seal him away from the Natural World. Now-"

Aang held up a hand to pause Kuruk. He knew that Koh had stolen Kuruk's fiance, Ummi, into the Spirit World. But as awful as that was, this sounded even more dangerous than that. "Wait, Kuruk. What do you mean, 'the evil he was capable of?'"

Kuruk grimaced. "I'll... get to that. Eventually. Anyway, Koh wasn't too pleased with this development, but he didn't have much of a choice. He wasn't able to defy the rest of the spirits... not directly, at least. But that hasn't stopped him from trying."

Even though the Spirit World wasn't supposed to feel cold, Aang experienced a sudden chill. He was no longer in a playful mood. "But how-"

Now it was Kuruk's turn to interrupt Aang. "As you know, there are parts of the world where the barrier between the Spirit and Natural Worlds... thins out. Crescent Island, the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. And every so often, Koh tries to sneak his way through."

Aang jumped to his feet. "What? How is that even possible? I thought he was stuck in the Spirit World! Wasn't that the whole point?"

"He is," replied Kuruk. "But when the conditions are right, he can take on a human host. And through his host, he can walk the Natural World again, spreading his evil mischief."

Aang could almost see the shape of what Kuruk was describing to him. "How... how often does this happen?"

"Fortunately, it's very rare. Only a very powerful bender can tolerate the process of becoming a host of Koh. Even then, they never last long. Koh's energy is too much for mortal bodies to stand... well, most mortal bodies. They burn out in a few days, sometimes hours. But if they're exceptionally strong, and they limit how much they use their power, they can last for several weeks. And Koh can't possess anyone against their will. They have to _want_ it. Do you understand what I'm telling you? They have to _let _him." Kuruk paused, hoping his last statement would sink in. He knew Aang was a reluctant warrior; that was part of what made him a great Avatar. But this was a situation that could possibly require a certain level of ruthlessness, and he didn't want Aang to hesitate at the wrong moment.

Aang shook his head. It didn't make any sense. "If joining with Koh was a death sentence, why would anyone agree to it? What could be worth that price?"

Kuruk shrugged. "Power. Revenge. Even loneliness. Sound like anyone you know?"

Aang felt nauseous. _Azula... _"Kuruk, Azula's a powerful bender. One of the most powerful benders in the world."

Kuruk gave Aang a bitter smile. "That's right, Aang. Maybe one of the most talented Firebenders who ever lived. And she's the great-granddaughter of Avatar Roku. The blood of the Avatar flows through her veins. She's perfect for Koh. Who knows how long she'll last? Months? Years, even..."

Aang held his head in his hands. He felt as if the world was spinning out of control. _It wasn't supposed to be like this. I beat Ozai. I put the world in balance. How can things like this still be happening? _"Kuruk, what happened the last time Koh possessed someone as powerful as Azula?"

Kuruk seemed to switch topics. "Aang, have you ever heard of Toshigai?"

Aang looked at him in confusion. "I-I don't think so. What does that-"

Kuruk continued, undeterred. "Well, a couple of thousand years ago it was one of the wealthiest cities in the Earth Kingdom. Almost as big as Omashu. Beautiful place, too, from what I here. The ruler of Toshigai was wise old King Shikaso. He had two sons, Koshi and Kanai. Now Kanai was the more powerful bender of the two. In fact, he was the most powerful bender of his age, a prodigy, much like a certain princess we know. But Koshi was older, so when King Shikaso died, Koshi became king."

Now Aang was the impatient one. His felt like his two greatest enemies were about to team up and destroy the world, and all Kuruk wanted to do was tell stories. But he knew Kuruk must have a point to this tale.

"Kanai was furious. He felt like he had been unjustly passed over. After all, he was the prodigy. But there was nothing he could do. Even he couldn't face down the entire army of Toshigai. So he stewed in his juices... and brooded... and waited. Now, as I said, Toshigai was a gem of a city, but unfortunately, it was built near an area where the barrier to the Spirit World was exceptionally weak. And after thousands of years of imprisonment, Kanai was just what Koh was looking for. So Koh called out to him. Well, to make a long story short, one day Kanai went down into the valley outside the city... and Koh came back up."

Aang felt sick to his stomach. "What happened, Kuruk? What happened to Toshigai? Why haven't I ever heard of it?"

"The Avatar at the time was Lum, an Airbender like yourself. Lum was a great Avatar, very powerful but very wise, too. When he realized that Koh had managed to make his way into our world, he went to face him straightaway. He knew that Koh had to be stopped, no matter what the cost. They fought a terrible battle, in the plains outside the city. And when it was over... all that was left of Toshigai was a patch of wasteland. You've been there, actually. Why did you think people call the Si Wong Desert the 'Desert of the Dead?'"

Aang shook his head. "How could Lum let that happen?" _It always comes back to killing. All those people...  
_

"Aang, Lum had no choice," Kuruk chastised. "If he didn't stop Koh when he did, the destruction would have been much worse. "

Aang felt the blood drain from his face. "Kuruk, Koh's men already have Azula. I have to get to her before they bring her to Koh. Where's the nearest place to Ba Sing Se where the barrier is weak? Maybe I can get there before them."

Kuruk looked at Aang with genuine sadness. "In the mountains outside of Ba Sing Se, there's a cave called the Devil's Breath, due to the hot springs that run underneath it. That's where the nearest weakening of the barrier is . But Aang... they're already there. It's too late."

* * *

"Awaken."

Azula's eyes snapped open. She felt as if she were emerging from a cocoon. Desperately, she tried to shake the residual effects of Fen Long's command from her head. _He firebends AND waterbends. He's... like the Avatar. _Briefly, she considered the possibilities of trying to use him against Aang, but immediately set them aside. Fen Long was no one's ally.

Glancing down at herself, she saw she was dressed in a simple white kimono with blood-red runes stitched along the hems. Though she didn't have access to a mirror, she could feel that her hair was pulled back into a braid behind her head. Looking around, and saw she was in a torch-lit chamber. She was sitting on a throne carved out of rock, one so smooth and perfect it was obviously created by an Earthbender. On the walls of the cave, there were carvings depicting horrible images of a giant worm encircling the Earth. She felt as if she were at the heart of some twisted ritual, and that she was to play the role of the ceremonial sacrifice. In front of her stood the skeletal form of Fen Long, his eyes grey and dull.

"You cannot move."

The princess felt her arms and legs become paralyzed. She tried to struggle, but found that she had no energy left. She was barely able to speak.

"Wh-what am I... doing here?"

Fen Long shuffled more squarely into her field of view. Whatever was animating him, it had almost run its course. No magics could keep him alive for much longer.

"We await the coming of the Master. He will be here soon. Then, your questions will be answered."

As she waited, Azula cursed at herself. This Master had manipulated her right from the beginning, just as she had manipulated others in the past, and she had fallen for it completely. She had the impression of being a fly, caught in a spider's web, waiting for her eight-legged doom to be upon her. She strained against the invisible bonds that held her. _There has to be a way out of this. I won't accept dying here!_

Gradually, the light from the torches began to dim. _Is... is this Master a Firebender, too? _Then, the walls of the cavern seemed to fall away from her, and she knew that whatever the Master was, he was more than a mere bender. Although she remained bound to her seat, she had the sensation of traveling upwards at great speed, even as the ceiling seemed to recede from her with equal velocity. The only sound she could hear was the pounding of her heart. Suddenly, she felt that _something_ was in the cave with her. Somehow, she knew that it was observing her, looking for a sign of weakness, just as she knew that if she showed any, it would devour her.

Slowly, it coiled its way around her, coming ever closer, as if it were savoring the aroma of an exquisite meal. At first, it moved tentatively, almost hesitantly, but it gradually picked up speed. Whatever it was, it apparently was satisfied with what it had seen. Suddenly, the cavern was illuminated in a blinding light, and Azula saw what surrounded her. She heard a high-pitched screaming, and realized too late that it was her own voice. It was the last thought that went through her head as the light consumed her.

* * *

"Hey, Katara, is Aang done yet?"

Katara looked up with a start at Nazumi. "No, Nazumi, he isn't. Just like he wasn't two minutes ago, when you last asked me. And stop sneaking up on me!"

"OK, OK," muttered Nazumi as he slunk away. Things were not advancing as quickly as he would have hoped. When he had stumbled onto the Avatar and his friends, he had envisioned them storming Fen Long's stronghold with all of the elements at their beck and call. Instead, all they had done was sit around Iroh's tea shop while Aang took a nap in the wine cellar. They weren't anything like what he had expected after seeing that play on Ember Island. Then again, at the end of the play, Aang and Zuko had been burned to bits by the Fire Nation, so he supposed it wasn't a very accurate portrayal.

_Maybe I should check on Aang myself. See if he needs any help talking to his spirit buddies._ Nazumi crept towards the door that led down to the cellar, only to jump back as a fireball exploded in front of him. Nazumi turned and saw an angry Zuko walking towards him. _I wish he'd stop doing that..._

"What do you think you're doing?" growled Zuko. The Fire Lord had wanted to turn Nazumi over to the Earth Kingdom authorities as soon as the thief had told his story, but Mai had talked Zuko out of it, reasoning that Nazumi might continue to prove useful. But it was infuriating for Zuko to have to be around the person who had put his sister in so much danger.

"Sorry, Fire Lord. I was just... well, I figured we ought to get going..." Nazumi stammered, trying to placate Zuko. _Yes, he's definitely Azula's brother, all right.  
_

"'We?' What do you mean 'we?' Once Aang's done here, the only place you're going is jail." Zuko eyes burned hotter than the flames he had summoned in his hands.

Nazumi's anger flared up as well. "I'm not a member of your family, Zuko. You can't lock me up just because you want to."

Katara, who had overheard the exchange, moved to get in between the two of them, as Iroh restrained Zuko. "Listen, you two, just calm-"

Suddenly, the cellar door slammed open. Aang emerged, looking as if he had seen a ghost. "Save your strength. If you're looking for a fight, you're not going to be disappointed."

"Aang!" Katara ran to him and took his hands in hers. "What did Kuruk say?" The rest of Aang's friends crowded around, but their enthusiasm was soon dampened upon seeing Aang's shaken countenance. He told them what he had learned from Kuruk, and their expressions quickly changed to match his.

Sokka fingered the pommel of his sword nervously. "This is more than looking for a crazy teenager. We'd better warn King Kuei about what's happening." He turned to the Fire Lord and his uncle. "Iroh, Zuko, I'm sorry. I know you were hoping we could help turn Azula around."

"Wait!" cried out Ty Lee in desperation. "Aang said Koh could only take over Azula if she let him. She'd never do that! She may be mean, but she's not evil!"

Suki shook her head. She both loved and hated the way Ty Lee only saw the good in people. It was so naive, it almost broke her heart. "Ty Lee, we can't take that chance. If you're wrong, we could lose the city."

Suddenly, they heard a low groan, and the friends turned in unison towards Nazumi. When he had come to Iroh's tea shop looking for help, he had slyly hoped to manipulate the Avatar and his friends into helping him rescue Azula. But upon hearing Aang's news, all of his schemes and plans had crumbled away. He had finally run out of tricks. "Lose the city?" he stammerd as he held his head in his hands. "B-but she wouldn't do that... Ba Sing Se's my home. I-it's all I have. This is all my fault..."

Zuko looked down at Nazumi in disdain. He didn't know who he blamed more, the thief or himself. _If only I had convinced Aang to take away her bending. She may have never recovered, but at least she would have been safe. But he was the one who brought her to Koh. Any mistakes that I made, at least I did them out of love. He did it for the money._ "I guess you're not as dumb as you look."

Toph cleared her throat. "Whoa, Zuko. That's a little harsh."

"Toph, if Aang is right, things are about to get harsh all over," Zuko replied. "We'd better start evacuating the city."

* * *

Paiko sat outside the chamber that Fen Long and Azula had entered, methodically sharpening his sword. He had the patience of a man who had already won a battle that had yet to begin. Soon, the Master would take control of the Fire Nation brat. Then, the entire world would share in his pain. Looking at his sword's razor-sharp edge, Paiko grunted with satisfaction. He supposed that the man he had been several years ago would be horrified at what his present self was doing. But that man died a long time ago. _He'll have plenty of company. _

The swordsman heard a shuffling sound, and saw Fen Long stagger out of the chamber. He looked worse than ever. His condition had worsened rapidly over the past few days, as his body reached its limits. Even Koh's power couldn't sustain him much longer. Then, as Fen Long got closer, Paiko noticed something different about him. The man looked... empty. Paiko realized that Koh had abandoned Fen Long for a different, more suitable host. _It's begun. Nothing can stop us now._

"It is... finished," gurgled Fen Long. Black liquid that had once been blood oozed from his mouth, giving off a fetid smell. "She is… with the Master now. In the space between spaces. He prepares her... for his coming."

Paiko stared back at the dying man without emotion. Fen Long had never been a friend, just a fellow servant of Koh. His passing would not bother Paiko in the least. In fact, it was welcomed. The man had outlived his usefulness to the Master. He spat on the ground. "Your instructions?"

Fen Long's breathing slowed, but his glazed-over eyes briefly regained the spark that they had possessed when he first became the host of Koh. "You will stand guard while the Master takes control of the girl. It may take several hours. Kill anyone who tries to pass. Do you understand? _Kill them all._"

Paiko grinned evilly. "And what of you?" he asked rhetorically. Fen Long had always treated him like an underling, but now it was Paiko alone who would live to see the Master's coming.

The dying agent of Koh wheezed out his final words. "My time… is done. I go to join the Master's side… in paradise." Fen Long then collapsed onto the ground, and let out a death rattle. His body convulsed once, twice, and then was still. It gave off an overwhelmingly foul stench, that of a corpse that had been left out in the sun to rot.

Paiko nodded to himself. All was well. He knew the Fire Lord and his friends would try and interrupt the girl's possession, but he was not concerned. Many a Firebender had died on his blade during the war. And this time, destiny was on his side. He stared into the chamber, anticipating the neverending night that was to come.

**Next: Down By Law**


	17. Chapter 17: Down By Law

**Author's Note: Finally broke the 60 K word barrier! This chapter was as fun to write as the last one was difficult. Hope you like it!**

**Previously: While the rest of the gang waited in the Jasmine Dragon, Aang traveled to the Spirit World to speak with Kuruk. There, he learned that Koh plans to possess Azula in order to enter the Natural World. The last time that happened, the following battle destroyed the surrounding countryside – which doesn't bode well for Ba Sing Se! Meanwhile, Azula has been brought before Koh, only to find out that there are worse things in the world than being held prisoner by the Fire Nation…**

**Chapter 17: Down By Law**

Azula blinked, trying to clear her eyes from the brilliant light that had nearly blinded her. She sat up, to find herself lying on soft grass, underneath the shade of a tree that seemed oddly familiar. Looking down at herself, she saw she was still wearing the ceremonial white robes that she had worn in the cave. She stood up and, with a gasp, realized that she was on top of a hill overlooking the main courtyard of her childhood home, the royal palace of the Fire Lord.

Instinctively, she prepared for a fight, expecting armed guards to rush at her from every direction. However, she quickly realized she was alone, and anyway could not imagine how on earth she had arrived here. Additionally, her surroundings seemed…off, somehow. Everything seemed almost too vivid. The colors were more vibrant, the countryside more beautiful, and the palace more magnificent than possible. In a state of confusion, she put her hand to her head. _Am I dreaming again? Or have I really lost my mind?  
_

Her reverie was interrupted by a gentle voice behind her. "No, Princess, you are most certainly not dreaming. And you are very sane."

She spun around, ready to unleash a blast of blue flame at the speaker, only to see Ozai standing before her. "Father! You escaped! But how-"

Ozai held up his hand. "I chose this form because I believed it would be more pleasing to you than my own. If you prefer, I can appear as someone else." Suddenly, Ozai shifted into Ursa, the former emperor's hard features melting into her mother's loving expression.

Azula dropped back in fear. "Where am I? What are you?"

The thing that had Ursa's shape approached her with its hands extended before her. "We're not really in the Fire Nation, if that's what you mean. There are no words to describe where we are. My more imaginative followers call this the 'space between spaces'. It's the borderland between the Natural and Spirit Worlds. You could say we're at the backstage of reality. Your physical body is still very much where you left it, in the caves outside of Ba Sing Se. Again, I thought these surroundings would be pleasing to you. If things seem somewhat different, it's because you're seeing them as you remember them, not as how they really are."

Azula looked back to the tree. She had spent countless summer days climbing it with Ty Lee and Mai, playing imaginary games. It now seemed more beautiful and majestic than any tree she had ever seen since. It was as if it were the source from which all trees sprang, the rest being pale imitations of the original. The thought alone made her dizzy. She looked back at her 'mother.' "You…you're Fen Long's master, right? You're Koh."

'Ursa' smiled at her, and to Azula, it was the warmest, most loving smile she had ever seen on her 'mother's' face. "Very good, Princess. Very good. Yes, I am Koh."

"What are you?" she asked, more in awe than anything else.

Koh continued to beam at her, giving Azula an expression that as a child, she would have killed to have received from the real Ursa. "Mortals call me a spirit, but that doesn't really do me justice. To my followers, I'm more akin to a god. I'm as old as time, and I've watched over mankind for as long as he's existed. And I've watched _you_, Princess."

Azula felt as if she was shrinking, standing before this _thing_ that looked and spoke like her mother. Koh seemed…_denser_, more real than anyone else she had ever met. In comparison, she felt like a ghost, ready to be blown away by the wind. "Why have you been watching _me?"_

Koh chuckled warmly. "Because you're _special_. You're the prodigy. We have a lot in common, you see."

"What could we possibly have in common?" Azula asked.

Koh sighed, as if they were old friends commiserating about shared troubles. "Our power makes others envious, and because of that we are hated. My whole existence, I have fought for the betterment of mortals, hoping to elevate him. But the other spirits were jealous of mankind's love for me, and sought to trap me in the Spirit World, and so here I remain. Just as you have been harassed and trapped by those who resent your strength and power, who would deny you your rightful place in the world. What I suggest is a partnership. I can't enter the Natural World, not directly. But through a human agent, such as yourself, I can. I'll be able to help mankind again. And I can help you, too."

Azula thought back to Fen Long's diseased condition, and felt nauseous. "I've seen what happens to your agents. They don't turn out so well."

Koh chuckled with amusement. "Now, now. Fen Long wasn't nearly the bender you are. You're far more powerful than him. And you possess the blood of the Avatar. Your resiliency will be unlike any other host I've known. You'll live for years, far beyond even what your normal life expectancy would be. And what years they'll be! Remember how flushed with power you felt during the passing of Sozin's Comet? Imagine having that power, a hundred times stronger, and not just for a few minutes, but for the rest of your life!"

"'The blood of the Avatar'…why is that so important?" the princess asked.

Koh eyes blazed. "Because it makes you strong. It makes you the perfect host…and it gives me the perfect revenge."

Azula shuddered at the chill that had entered Koh's voice. "Why do_ you _want revenge against Aang?"

Koh face froze, and for a brief instant Azula saw the being behind the façade of Ursa. "It goes beyond that pathetic Airbender! I don't care what body the Avatar Spirit resides in! It's done nothing but thwart my plans for thousands of years!"

Koh stood up, and dark energies swirled about his clenched fists. "For centuries I've been a prisoner here, unable to leave, unable to follow my destiny. But now… with you… I can re-enter the world and destroy the Avatar once and for all."

Koh regained his composure, and stared at Azula with hypnotic eyes. "With my power, you'll be able to cast aside Zuko and the Avatar like straw in the wind. No army on the planet will be able to stop you. Your father claimed to be the 'Phoenix King'? Hah! You'll show him what a _real_ ruler is. The whole world will bow at your feet!"

Azula looked up at Koh, still shaken by how closely he mimicked Ursa's form. "Those were my father's dreams, not mine. Besides, you may say you're a friend to mankind, but if you're so benevolent, how do you explain the behavior of your agents?"

"Princess, please," Koh said in a placating manner, hold up his hands. "I am aware that Fen Long was a madman, but I had no choice but to use him. He was the only bender of power who had come close enough for me to make use of. I can hardly be blamed for the... excesses and eccentricities of those whose help I made use of in my desperation. You're no different than me, Azula. Your recent choice of servants has been... limited by circumstance."

Azula reflexively thought of Nazumi, and felt her anger blaze up inside of her like a roaring fire. "Nazumi wasn't a servant! He was my friend! And because of you, he's dead!"

Koh gave her a bemused look. "My dear, I simply gave him what he wanted. He had been looking for an escape from life's trials ever since his friend died in the fall of Omashu… something your family played quite an important role in, I believe."

Azula felt her cheeks flush with rage and shame. "My family has nothing to do with this. Nazumi didn't blame me for that… and he didn't want to die!"

Koh shook his head. "You may lie to others, Princess, but never to yourself… and never to_ me_. If it wasn't for your family's war, his precious Shima would still be alive. Instead, she died, and ever since he's been trying to trick the world into reuniting him with her."

Azula felt hot tears form in her eyes. Koh was only saying what she knew to be true, deep down where she locked away her feelings. "No… it wasn't my fault…"

"But what if he had escaped? What then?" Koh gestured, and the clear water in the pond began to turn cloudy. Gradually, shapes began to form in the depths. "His luck would have run out, eventually. Do you think your brother would have been so eager to forgive him?"

In the pond, Azula saw Nazumi in chains. He was older than the boy she knew, and he looked to be a broken man. His hair was grey and matted, and he was clearly malnourished. The shirt he wore hung off of his skeletal frame in tatters, and she could see fresh lash marks on his skin. What was worse, his eyes looked dead, absent of the mischievous spark she was accustomed to seeing in them.

Koh continued. "This is what would have awaited your friend. Life in prison, as an accomplice to the traitor Azula. Chained. Tortured. The freedom he so cherished denied him for the rest of his miserable life. Instead, I gave him a glorious, painless end, and sped him along to his departed friend."

Azula shook her head in denial. "No! Zuko would never do that! He wouldn't!"

Koh, as Ursa, gave a look of mock surprise. "No? But Princess, isn't that what he did to you? And you were his sister."

Azula wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. "I don't care! I'll never help you! Fen Long told me too much about you. About what you _really_ have planned. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not evil."

If Koh was perturbed by her refusal, he didn't show it. "My dear, I already told you, Fen Long was insane. I told him what he wanted to hear in order to gain his help. He was a pawn, nothing more. But you... you and I aren't as different as you would like to think. Besides, what do you think will become of you, Princess? Your brother and the Avatar are closer than you imagine." The images in the pond shifted, and she saw Zuko and Aang, as well as that damn Water Tribe girl, sitting around a wooden table, talking animatedly. "They plot your capture even now… and capture you they will."

Despite herself, the sight of Zuko filled her with rage. "No! I'll fight them all if I have to! I don't need you! I don't need anyone!" She summoned a handful of flame, and threw it into the water, dissolving the image in flash of heat and steam.

"And you will fail. And then what?" Koh gestured again, and the shapes in the pond began to reform. "What do you think awaits you? Oh, I'm sure Zuko won't kill you. After all, you're still royalty. And if he did, he'd have no one to gloat over."

In the water, Azula saw herself, in a straw-lined iron cage, being drawn along in a cart before a jeering crowd. In the image, she was filthy and disheveled, her eyes expressionless, and did not attempt to dodge the refuse hurled at her from the angry mob. Koh spoke to her as she watched in horror. "Once the Avatar strips you of your bending, the Fire Lord will present you before the world. 'Behold, the prodigy, once the jewel of the Fire Nation, now a sideshow freak!' He'll have you brought from town to town, so the world can mock their would-be ruler, her only crime that of hoping to lead them to greatness."

The images swirled again. "But after a few years, he'll tire of that. You'll be banished, I suppose, but you'll find no safe haven in the Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation. You'll be reduced to a penniless beggar, but even the other tramps will have nothing to do with the conqueror of Ba Sing Se. Your days will become months, months will turn into years, and the only thing you'll have to look forward to is a nameless unmarked grave, probably after freezing to death during a particularly cold winter."

In the water, Azula saw herself again, now sitting on a filthy street in some unknown city, silently offering a beggar's bowl to the passing crowd. She was gaunt with hunger and sickness, and on her face was the confused look of a madwoman. The years of exile had etched lines of suffering across the weathered, leathery skin of her face. Her sunken eyes held no sign of intelligence.

Azula looked away, trying to keep the spike of panic out of her voice. "No… no... it won't happen like that. I… my mother, she would find me, she'd protect me…"

Koh gestured once more, and Ursa appeared in the water. "Your mother? She's moved on, I'm afraid. She has her own family now, a new family, with the kind of daughter she's always wanted: docile, unimaginative, weak." The image pulled back, and showed an older Ursa combing the hair of a young teenage girl, who had a passing resemblance to Azula. Looking up, Ursa seemed to see Azula, and gave her a mocking glance. Bending down, she whispered something into the girl's ear, who giggled with amusement.

Azula closed her eyes as she realized Koh was right. One on one, she could defeat Katara or Zuko, and even possibly the Avatar. But she could never defeat them all at once, not on her own. And that was precisely where she found herself. When she was with Nazumi, she could at least force herself to put up a brave front, if only to impress him. He had been so willing to follow her, she couldn't help but think that against all odds, she would be victorious. And even though he was all but useless in a fight, his belief in her had given her something more tangible to fight for besides some far-off goal of regaining her throne. It was only now that he was dead did she understand how hopeless her situation really was. Bitterly, she realized that Nazumi had likely known this all along, and had followed her anyway out of some misguided sense of loyalty. Zuko and his friends would recapture her. And this time, they wouldn't be satisfied with just putting her in jail. All she had to look forward to was a life of shame and humiliation, a life of piercing loneliness. The subject of jokes everywhere, the disgrace of her family. She brought her hands to her face. _What do I do… What do I do…_

* * *

_What am I doing here?_

'Here' was the wine cellar of the Jasmine Dragon. It had been converted from Aang's meditation room to a makeshift prison for Nazumi. The thief sat on a sack of tea leaves, trying to absorb the events of the last few hours. After Aang had told them about Koh's plans, Zuko had asked Iroh to lock Nazumi in the cellar while they tried to come up with a plan. Nazumi assumed that the Ba Sing Se City Watch had been informed, and were on their way to pick him up. Of course, in a little while, there might not be a Ba Sing Se City Watch, or even a city to watch over, at least if Aang had been right about Koh.

Nazumi knew the smart thing would be to get out of here and get as far away from Ba Sing Se as fast as he could. It wouldn't be difficult, either. Despite searching him, his captors had missed a small stash consisting of three smoke bombs, a packet of sleeping powder, and his trusty lock picks. He had even broken into this very wine cellar when he had burgled that Jasmine Dragon half a year ago. No, he would have no difficulty escaping Aang and his friends. Except…

…Except he didn't have anywhere to go. Ba Sing Se was the only real home he had ever known. If it was in danger, he wanted to be here. And Azula… The thought of her alone with something like Koh left him feeling empty inside, as empty as he had felt when he had first heard of Shima's death. But if what Aang said was true, she was the one who was going to wipe out the city, along with Koh. He just couldn't picture his friend doing something like that, not after everything they had been through together. Of course, she had her violent side, and could be temperamental. But she had other sides too. Good sides.

But if he was completely honest with himself, he had to admit that he hadn't known Azula that long. Not as long as Aang and Zuko, anyway. _Zuko_. At least he could understand why Azula hated him so much. He was so… so… so much like what he had wanted to be, back in the orphanage. They were the same age, but that was the only thing they had in common. Zuko was rich, powerful, and respected. He was surrounded by friends, and had a beautiful girlfriend who adored him. All Nazumi had was a string of hideouts and a rap sheet as long as his arm, and the only girl he knew on a first-name basis was about to commit genocide.

Suddenly, he heard the door to the wine cellar unlock. He looked up, and saw the stout form of Iroh standing in the doorway. The old general was holding a tray holding a teapot and two cups. Iroh walked inside and without a word, sat down in front of Nazumi and poured out two cups of tea.

"Hello, young man. I thought you could use some of this."

Nazumi made no move to take the cup placed in front of him. "What do you want?" he asked in a voice that he hoped sounded surly.

Iroh wasn't offended at Nazumi's rudeness, and he made no attempt to answer his question. "Six months ago, my tea shop was robbed. The City Watch told me that they suspected a thief who went by the name of 'The Mouse.'"

Nazumi assumed the expression he always adopted when being interrogated, and said nothing.

Iroh paused to take a loud slurp from his tea. "They told me he was one of the best they had ever seen. Not like the others. A real professional, known for his daring and resourcefulness. "

Nazumi shrugged. "People say a lot of things."

Iroh grinned. He didn't seem to be bothered at having his shop robbed. "I must admit, I was intrigued. I wanted to meet this young man. He sounded interesting. But they told me he was like a ghost, that I would never find him. And now, you're here. Isn't it amazing, the strange places our destiny takes us?"

Iroh's words finally got a reaction out of the sullen Nazumi. "Huh. 'Destiny.' You sound like Azula. What is it with you royalty and 'destiny,' anyway? Don't you ever think it's funny that the only people who talk about destiny are those who were born with everything? I'm sure it's easy to believe in destiny when your dad's the Fire Lord. Let me ask you, General, was it my 'destiny' to be born in the slums? Is it Azula's 'destiny' to be Koh's slave and destroy Ba Sing Se?" He slumped back, his tirade over.

Iroh just smiled, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. He seemed constitutionally unable to be offended. "You don't believe in destiny? Very well, I can see you are a man of business. So let's talk business, Nazumi the Mouse. I want to hire you."

Nazumi was so surprised, he nearly fell off his sack of tea. "_Hire _me? I'm your _prisoner._"

Now it was Iroh's turn to shrug. "So? You seem to know this place pretty well. I'm assuming you'll think of some way to get out of here."

Nazumi could only gape at Iroh in confusion.

Iroh ignored him and continued. "I'm sure you're wondering what the job entails. It's simple, really. I want you to find my niece and bring her safely to me."

By now, Nazumi was completely bewildered. _He's insane. Azula never told me he was senile._ "Is this some kind of joke?"

Iroh shook his head. He was still smiling, but his eyes weren't. "I've never been more serious in my life."

"But, but…" Nazumi sputtered, "But Aang… Zuko… they're the Avatar and the Fire Lord! They'll find Azula. What do you need me for?"

Iroh rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Yes, that's true… but a good soldier knows when to hedge his bets. And like I said, you're a professional. Why, you've even had experience rescuing Azula in the past. You're perfect for the job!"

Nazumi stared at the old general for several long seconds, his face blank. The silence in the cellar was almost palpable, and Iroh could only guess at what the young thief was thinking. Finally, Nazumi walked over to Iroh and with a swift motion of his arm upended the tray in front of him, sending the teapot flying across the room.

Nazumi was surprised at how angry he was, but felt like he couldn't stop himself. "You think I'm some big joke, right? Well, let me tell you something about myself. Something your friends in the City Watch maybe didn't tell you. Before I got mixed up with you heroes and royals, I thought I was happy! I didn't have much, and that's the way I liked it!" He jabbed a finger into Iroh's chest. "I wasn't responsible for anyone else. I only had to watch out for myself. I went where I pleased, when I pleased. _I traveled light._ Now, I…"

He turned away suddenly, his throat tight. "I wish I never met any of you. _Any_ of you."

Iroh stood up. He didn't look angry, just…disappointed. He turned to leave, but hesitated before going. "Young man, do you play Pai Sho?"

"Just get out of here," muttered Nazumi.

Iroh held up his hands. "No, wait, I'm serious. Do you play Pai Sho?"

Nazumi stared intently at the ground in silence. He wasn't sure what embarrassed him more, his outburst or the fact that it was true.

Iroh searched his pockets, looking for something. "Pai Sho is a very old game. Over a thousand years old. And it's changed over time. Here, look at these." From a pocket, he withdrew two small stone tiles. "These came from an older variation of the game, one where the pieces had different names, and the rules were slightly different." He held out his large, weathered hand, and showed Nazumi the two tiles. They were made out of a type of pale rock. One of them was decorated with the image of a red crown, while the other had a black dagger.

Iroh selected the tile with the crown. "This piece was known as the Princess. It was a very powerful piece, able to attack in many directions at once. But reckless, too. Used on its own, it didn't lend itself to strategy too well. " He then chose the other tile. "This was called the Thief. It was unique that it could move quickly around the board. It was very agile, but weak offensively. It wasn't nearly as strong as the Princess."

Iroh looked down at his palm. "If used individually, they wouldn't lead to many victories in Pai Sho. But together… together they made quite a team." The old man suddenly reached out with a speed that belied his age, and grabbed Nazumi's arm with an iron grip. He pressed the two pieces and pressed them into Nazumi hand, and then let go.

"I'm sorry to have upset you. You weren't the man I was looking for." Iroh smiled sadly, and left the cellar, locking the door behind him. Nazumi stared at his hand in silence, looking at the two tiles.

* * *

Azula felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see the warm face of her mother. "Let's help each other. Join me, and you'll have everything you ever wanted. Your father's respect and your mother's love. Who would be unable to love the most perfect, the most powerful girl in the world? Once you defeat the Avatar, Ursa will see you as you truly are, not as the monster she claimed you were. You won't ever have to be alone again."

"But Zuko… and the others..." she muttered, already defeated in her mind.

Koh cooed away her worries. "Your brother? Spare him, if you like. He won't be any threat to us. Spare all of your friends who betrayed you. What is a god-queen if not merciful? Let them bask in the warm rays of your radiant forgiveness. But the Avatar dies."

Azula's heart ached. She realized, too late, that she had run out of options. Despite all of her planning and scheming, she had only managed to paint herself into a corner. Part of her knew that the way out Koh was offering her was no way out at all. She had once thought she would have done anything to defeat her enemies, but _this..._ even her vaunted ambition hesitated at paying such a high price. But she could see no other way out. She recalled her talks with Nazumi, when she had tried to explain to him that she could not turn aside from the path that she was on, and that she was a slave to her destiny. Her explanations now rang hollow in her ears. It was only now, on the brink of damnation, that those foolish words had become true at last. She thought back with bitterness to all of the chances she had squandered. But it was too late for second chances. Too late for everything. _Nazumi... I should have listened to you. But this time, I really don't have a choice. _

Filled with both resignation and regret, she looked up at Koh. "Will I still be… me?"

Koh's eyes blazed. Hearing those words, he knew he had won. Soon, he would walk the earth again, in the body of this foolish girl. Soon, the world would know once again to fear his name, to tremble at his approach. "Oh, yes, my darling. You will be. That, and so much more."

**Next: Fly By Night  
**


	18. Chapter 18: Fly By Night

**Author's Note: I'm updating a little early because Fallout 3 is coming out today :) Not much Azula in this chapter, but she returns in a big way in the next one. Hope you like it, we're almost done!**

**Previously: Things have never been worse for Azula and Nazumi. Azula, having been captured by Koh, has agreed to ally herself with the malevolent spirit, seeing no other options available to her. Meanwhile, Nazumi has been locked up by Zuko and his friends, only to receive a strange but familiar offer of employment from Iroh: to once again rescue Azula.**

**Chapter 18: Fly By Night  
**

Aang stared into the dying flames of the Jasmine Dragon's fireplace. In his mind's eye, he could see Ba Sing Se burning. Such pointless destruction… it seemed to be the curse of the Avatar. He thought back to his mentor, Gyatso. The old Airbender had seemed almost sad to inform Aang that he was the Avatar, all those years ago. It was only now that Aang realized what Gyatso knew all along: that the destiny of the Avatar was a series of never-ending conflicts, separated only by brief moments of peace. But he couldn't see any alternative. If Koh had managed to enter the Natural World, Aang would have to fight him, even if that meant the destruction of Ba Sing Se. Koh was like an inferno that, unless checked by a fire break, threatened to consume the world.

"Aang?"

Aang turned to see Sokka standing beside him. "Huh? Oh, hello, Sokka. Sorry, I was lost in thought. I still can't believe things have gotten so bad that we have to evacuate Ba Sing Se."

Sokka face grinned cannily. "They may not be as bad as you think. I was thinking…"

Aang recognized the tone in Sokka's voice. Against all odds, he felt hopeful. "Sokka, are you saying…?"

"Yup," affirmed Sokka. "I've got a plan. The way I see it, if Koh takes over Azula and enters our world, you'll have to fight him, right?"

"I'm with you so far."

"And if you fight Koh, Ba Sing Se will probably be destroyed in the battle, right?"

"Right," nodded Aang expectantly. He was feeling impatient, but knew better than to rush Sokka. His knack for improvisation had won the day for the Avatar and his friends on more than one occasion.

"So," Sokka continued, as if giving Aang a lecture, "it seems to me that the obvious thing to do is to not fight him! Not here, anyway, not in the Natural World. You'll fight him in the Spirit World, Aang. You'll take the battle to _him._"

* * *

Sokka stood in front of the others, waiting for their attention. He looked back at the tea shop's chalkboard, which instead of announcing the daily specials had been commandeered by Sokka and used to outline his plan. Like most of his ideas, it fell into the category of being so crazy it just might work.

"People," he announced with an air of authority, "we stand here on the eve of an important battle. Maybe the most important battle of our lives. I know you're scared. Heck, I'm scared. I'd be worried if you _weren't_ scared. But there comes a time, in every person's life, when-"

Suki cleared her throat. She had dated Sokka long enough to know when he needed to be reined in. "Ah, Sokka, sweetie? Can you give us the short version?"

Sokka blustered, and struggled to regain his rhythm. "Uh, right. Sorry. Anyway, we all know that by now, Azula has become a Koh-possessed zombie. That means-"

Ty lee piped up from the rear, her voice bristling. "We don't know any such thing. For all we know, Azula is fighting with Koh right now, and we should-"

"_Ty Lee!"_ the group shouted in unison, and the acrobat silenced herself, still glaring menacingly at Sokka.

By now, Sokka felt less confident, knowing that an angry Ty lee could have a bite to match her bark, but he bravely soldiered on. "Um, what I meant to say was that Azula, probably through no fault of her own, has most likely been coerced, completely against her will…" At this point, he glanced back at Ty Lee, who appeared to be mollified.

"Anyway, now that Koh's possessed Azula, the only way to stop him is for Aang to go all Avatar state and fight her… I mean him… well, you know what I mean. Of course, that'll mean untold destruction, devastation, and all-around general badness." Sokka paused for effect, getting only expectant looks in return.

Mai sighed. "We _know_ all that, Sokka. So what's your brilliant plan?"

Sokka rubbed his hands craftily. "My plan is, Aang _doesn't _fight Koh-zula. Not here, in the Natural World, anyway. Instead, he'll go to the Spirit World and fight Koh there. Meanwhile, while Koh is distracted, we find the Koh-less Azula and take her out." He turned back to Ty Lee, who looked like she was seconds away from pummeling him. "I mean, we find Azula and free her from Koh's grip."

Aang moved to Sokka's side. "See, while I've got Koh tied up, the rest of you should be able to subdue Azula, and get her away from the area where the barrier between our world and the Spirit World is weak. Once she's removed from there, Koh won't be able to possess her, and he'll be trapped in the Spirit World."

Katara shook her head. Like most of her brother's plans, it looked good from afar, but fell apart on closer inspection. "But Aang, we're not even sure if you can defeat Koh here, where you have the advantage. If you try and fight him in the Spirit World… he'll kill you."

Aang swallowed. This was the flaw in Sokka's plan. He turned to Sokka, who shrugged. They had both realized that Katara would be the first to protest. "But Katara, that's the thing. I won't _have_ to beat him. I just have to stall him, until the rest of you manage to capture Azula."

"You may have to 'stall' him for a while, Aang," objected Toph. "It could take us a while to find Azula."

We have a rough idea of where she'll be," Aang reminded her. "Kuruk told us that she's be in a cave complex in the mountains outside the city called the Devil's Breath. That's where the weak point in the barrier is."

Katara was resolute. "No, Aang. There has to be another way. You don't have to do this!"

Aang went over to her, and hugged her gently. "It'll be OK, Katara…"

"You don't know that, Aang. It… it wasn't supposed to be like this. After the war, things were supposed to be better." She sighed. "I... I hate her, Aang. I hate Azula for letting this happen."

Suki coughed gently. "So… what do the rest of us do?"

Sokka turned to her. "While Aang's fighting Koh, Zuko, Katara, Toph, Iroh and I will take Appa to go find Azula. Suki, you'll take Ty Lee and Mai and go to King Kuei. Let him know what our plan is, and help him get the army ready in case… in case we fail."

Mai crossed her arms. "No way, Sokka. We won't let you fly off into danger and leave us behind."

Sokka put on his most convincing expression. "Mai, think about it. You're the highest-ranking member of the Fire Nation here. King Kuei will need your reassurance. And Ty Lee…" Sokka smiled weakly at her. He knew she had conflicting feelings about coming here. "I won't ask you to fight Azula. Just watch Suki's back for me, OK?"

Suki arched her eyes at her boyfriend. "And why am I staying behind, 'General' Sokka?"

Sokka took her hands in his. "Because… because if anything happened to you, I…"

Suki sighed, and kissed him softly on the lips. "All right, 'General'. I understand. Just… don't do anything stupid."

Toph punched the palm of her hand. "I have to admit, Sokka, this is your craziest idea yet. But I can't think of anything better."

She was interrupted by a voice from above. "It's a good plan. But I'm coming with you."

The friends turned in surprise to see Nazumi hopping down from the rafters of the ceiling. The thief's uncertainty from before had vanished, and he looked determined.

Zuko went to grab him. "You! How'd you get out?"

Nazumi shrugged. "I'm the greatest thief in Ba Sing Se. You think a moldy old wine cellar's going to hold me? No offense, sir," he added, the last comment addressed to Iroh.

Iroh nodded. "None taken."

Zuko was unimpressed. "Well, I'm sure the Earth King has a dungeon that will be more accommodating." He summoned a ball of flame, to reinforce his point.

"Wait!" Nazumi held up his hands in defense. "No one knows the mountains outside the city better than me. I've been hiding out there for years. It'll take you hours to find the Devil's Breath without me."

Nazumi turned to address the entire group. "I know you don't trust me. I know you think I'm a thief, and a criminal, and a liar, and a-"

Sokka cleared his throat. "Dude, you're not helping."

Nazumi blinked, and then continued. "Right. Well, you get the point. But there's one thing we have in common. We both want to save Ba Sing Se. Let me help you. _Please._ Afterward, you can throw me in the deepest, darkest hole you can find."

Sokka rubbed his chin. Finding Azula in the mountains outside the city had been the weak link in his plan. He knew Aang wouldn't be able to hold Koh off indefinitely. "He's right, Zuko. I guess we could use his help."

"I agree, Nazumi should go with you," Iroh voiced in agreement, to everyone's surprise. "He can take my place. I'll stay behind and help out the others. Besides, I'm too old to go flying into battle."

Zuko glanced at his uncle in surprise. He knew Iroh well enough to know when the old general had something up his sleeve, but he couldn't begin to guess what it was. But he had learned long ago to trust Iroh's advice.

Katara walked towards Nazumi and looked him squarely in the eyes. She remembered how despondent he had been earlier in the night, but there was more at stake now than Azula's safety. "Nazumi… you realize that this isn't about saving Azula anymore, right? She's working _with_ Koh. She's not his prisoner."

Nazumi looked past her and stared at Iroh coldly from across the room. "She stopped being my responsibility the second she threatened the city. All I want to do is to stop Koh. I could care less what happens to Azula."

Iroh's face remained without expression, but his eyes betrayed his disappointment. He said nothing, however, and turned away from the group.

"Is he telling the truth, Toph?" asked Zuko.

Toph scowled. "Yeah. He is." She didn't know why Nazumi's words upset her so much. She _hated_ Azula, hated everything about her. And unlike the others, she had no doubts about Azula's ability to side with a monster like Koh. But Nazumi's casual betrayal of the princess bothered her. She supposed even Azula deserved to have a friend.

Ty Lee crossed the room to stand in front of Nazumi, and delivered a stinging slap across his face. There were tears in her eyes, and her voice was bitter. "When this is over, I hope they lock you up and throw away the key." She stormed out of the room, not waiting for a response.

Nazumi looked at the rest of them, his cheek bright red where Ty Lee's hand had connected. The blow seemed to have swept aside their doubts about his intentions. "Unless anyone else wants to hit me some more, we should get going."

With that, the friends prepared to split up. Nazumi watched as Aang and Katara, Sokka and Suki, and Zuko and Mai all said their private goodbyes. He felt his conscience stab at him, briefly. They weren't as bad as Azula had made them out to be. At least, not for representatives of the law. And it had been a long time since anyone had trusted him. Against his better judgment, he found himself hoping that they would understand why he had no choice over what came next.

* * *

Aang returned to the wine cellar, and assumed his meditative position again. It wasn't entirely without effort that he was able to slow his racing heart. He had never faced a more dangerous opponent than Koh. Despite what he had told Katara, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold Koh off for long, not outside of the Natural World. His only hope was that Katara and the others were able to defeat Azula quickly. Without her as an anchor, Koh would be as helpless as before, and Aang would be able to leave him trapped in the Spirit World.

Aang's one consolation was that unlike his battle with Ozai a year ago, Aang had no doubts about the morality of his actions. Koh wasn't human, and wasn't capable of dying. He would be able to use his full power without holding back.

Once again, Aang felt his body fall away from him. He could sense the tear in the barrier between the Natural and Spirit worlds, and let himself drift towards this disturbance. He knew that somewhere at its heart, he would find Koh. Willing himself forwards, he opened his eyes, and found himself outside the courtyard of the Fire Nation.

Aang looked around him in confusion. _This isn't the Spirit World… but it isn't my world, either._ The courtyard appeared to be abandoned. High above its walls, there was a large hill with a tree at its top. Underneath it, he thought he could see a human figure, watching him…

Suddenly, he felt the air go thick around him. He leapt backwards, only to see the ground where he had been standing break apart in a sudden eruption. Bursting forth from the ground, he saw the black shape of Koh rise up to tower over him. He braced himself for an imminent attack.

However, Koh remained at a distance, staring at him through the familiar face of a Noh mask. The spirit's expression was almost one of amusement. "Avatar Aang. It's so good of you to join me. I'll forgive your interruption. You see, I was just getting to know my new plaything."

Aang held his staff up in a defensive position. He suddenly had a good idea who the figure on the hill was. "Where are we, Koh? Is this the Spirit World?"

Koh's black body slithered around Aang, fencing him in. "Not quite, Aang. I suppose you could say we're just next door to the Spirit World. It's as close as I can get to the Natural World, at least in my true form. But soon, after countless centuries, I'll walk your world again, in the body of your delightful princess. What fun we'll have, you and I."

Aang glanced around him. Koh's clicking, slithering body surrounded him. "I don't think so, Koh. This has gone far enough."

Koh's face blinked, and Aang was now looking into the bestial face of a monkey. Koh let out a warlike scream, and his voice was filled with hatred. "And who will stop me, Avatar? You? Is that why you're here? You seek to avoid the mistakes of your predecessors, hmm? You want to spare Ba Sing Se from our battle? That was foolish, Aang. Here, I have mastery of all of the elements, just like you. Here, I am more powerful."

As if to prove his point, a bolt of lightning lanced out from Koh's mouth, and Aang barely had time to jump away as it slammed into the ground.

Koh started to laugh, an inhuman sound that froze Aang's heart. "I think I will kill you, little Avatar. Then, when I am finished, I will go to Ba Sing Se in my new host and turn it to ash, along with your pretty little Waterbender. I believe my host will like that as well. What do you think about that?"

Aang stepped down hard, and he hurtled into the air on a column of granite, rising high above Koh. Flipping off of it, he sent it collapsing down onto Koh's twisting form. He landed lightly on the far side of the courtyard, and summoned a gust of wind to clear away the dust. Koh was nowhere to be seen. _Could it have been that easy?_

Then, in the distance, he heard a low rumbling, like an avalanche approaching him. Looking up at the sky, he saw an enormous tidal wave rise above him, blocking out the sun. His last thoughts were of Katara before the tsunami came crashing down on him.

* * *

Nazumi looked over the side of Appa, as the forest sped underneath him. They had been flying for twenty minutes, with Nazumi giving directions to Katara. He knew that soon they'd be nearing the Devil's Breath, and that he was running out of time. He groaned._ I didn't realize how high up we'd be… or how fast we'd be going._

He felt a gentle blow to his ribs, and turned to see Toph elbowing him. "Not getting airsick, are you, Mouse-boy?" she asked teasingly.

_Why do people keep calling me Mouse-boy? My nickname's supposed to sound tough. _"Uh, actually, I am. Any chance we could fly a little lower? Or slower?"

Katara shouted back, to be heard above the wind. "No chance. We don't know what surprises Koh has for us down in the forest, and I don't want Aang in the Spirit World any longer than he has to be."

Nazumi's chattering teeth were his only response. Ahead, he saw the entrance to the cave that would lead them to the Devil's Breath. _It's now or never_. "It's… further ahead. Just a little bit more."

Nazumi turned to Zuko, feeling a lingering stab of resentment. The Fire Lord had everything he had ever wanted... but now, he had something Nazumi needed, as well. "Your highness… in case one of us doesn't make it out of this, I… want to apologize." He offered his hand to Zuko. "I never meant for things to turn out the way they did. Whatever happens, it's been an honor to fight by your side."

Zuko looked at Nazumi's outstretched hand. He was beginning to wonder if Nazumi was slightly schizophrenic. He could tell from the thief's attitude back at Iroh's tea shop that Nazumi didn't harbor much affection for him, for whatever reason. Zuko knew that his own behavior hadn't helped matters. "It's… all right, Nazumi. My sister has a knack for getting people into trouble. Let's just find her."

Zuko took Nazumi's hand, shaking it, only to have Nazumi hold on to it awkwardly. Suddenly, Nazumi pulled the taller Zuko down towards him. Zuko was stronger than Nazumi, and only dipped a few feet, but he was pitched off balance by Appa's motion and the strong wind, and fell to one knee. In a flash, Nazumi reached up over Zuko's shoulder, and pulled free one of the Fire Lord's swords. He then pushed Zuko back into Sokka and Toph, knocking them off their feet.

"What's going on back there?" Katara shouted, and turned to see the sword-wielding Nazumi looking at the treetops below them with trepidation.

Katara moved forward in an attempt to grab him. "Don't do it, Nazumi! She'll kill you!"

Nazumi gave her a crooked grin. "Sorry, Katara. See you on the ground." With that, he jumped off of Appa's back, disappearing into the trees below.

Katara shouted at Appa. "Appa, quick, land anywhere you can!"

The sky bison grunted in response, and began spiraling towards the ground, looking for a clearing in which to land.

"I should have known! He's helping Koh!" Sokka bristled as he got to his feet.

Toph groaned, and slapped her head. "I thought _I _was the blind one."

Katara helped her friends up. "Sokka, don't be an idiot! He's helping Azula… or at least, he thinks he is."

Sokka looked confused. "But that's… ugh. And people say _I _act impulsively."

Zuko unsheathed his remaining sword. "He doesn't know my sister like we do. He thinks she's Koh's prisoner. If he tries to stop her…"

"She'll kill him," Katara finished for him. She looked down at the forest below. "Well, then, we'd better follow him. Odds are that when we find Nazumi, we'll find Azula."

* * *

Nazumi limped towards the cave entrance he had seen from the sky. He had survived the fall… but only just. He had been falling so quickly, he barely been able to grab hold of a tree branch in order to slow his decent, and had still banged his head upon landing on the forest floor. How long he had been unconscious, he couldn't tell. He knew from his somewhat blurry vision that he had a concussion, but he remembered to mark a trail for Katara and the others by slashing at tree trunks every few meters as he made his way towards the cave. Along the way, he had realized with horror that something had happened to the forest. Under Koh's corrupting influence, it had changed. The trees had become warped and twisted, and the air had a foul, corrupt stench. He shuddered to think what Koh had planned once he fully possessed Azula. _That won't happen. Not while I'm here._

Reaching the entrance, Nazumi realized he was seeing three caves instead of one. Shaking his bleeding head in an attempt to clear his vision, he aimed for the middle image, and was gratified to not collide with a rock wall. In the cool darkness of the cave, he felt his confidence returning. As he ran along the corridor into the heart of the mountain, towards the Devil's Breath, he went over his plan again. He knew Azula wasn't in league with Koh. All he had to do was get to her before the others, and get her out. He would leave Fen Long and Paiko to be dealt with by Zuko and his friends. By the time the fight was over, he and Azula would be far, far away.

As plans went, he knew it wasn't very good, but it had been the best he could come up with on such short notice. Looking at the lit torches that lined the corridor, he at least knew he was heading in the right direction; someone had been here before him, and recently. He lifted his hand to wipe at a cut on his forehead that was bleeding into his eyes. _She'd better appreciate what I'm doing for her. The next time someone offers me a job that involves royalty, I'm running in the opposite…_

Suddenly, he saw a flash of light, and ducked his head as a sword blade sliced through the air above him. He rolled and lifted Zuko's sword in defense, and saw Paiko's evil grin looking back at him, glinting in the torchlight like a mouthful of daggers.

"Well, well, well," Paiko chuckled with hatred, "it appears the Master has decided to reward me after all."

Nazumi backpedaled frantically, trying to put distance between himself and Paiko. But Paiko's sword flashed out at him with the speed and ferocity of lightening. Nazumi was able to block it once, twice, barely a third time; then, Paiko slipped past Nazumi's guard, and delivered a slash across his right flank.

Paiko raised his sword over Nazumi, who had fallen onto the ground. He was savoring the kill. He back Nazumi up against a wall. There was nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide.

"W-wait!" Nazumi stammered. "Koh will kill us all! Why are you doing this?"

Paiko paused. Nazumi deserved to know why he was about to die. He had earned that much. "During the war, I was a rebel in the Fire Nation colonies. We caused a lot of trouble for the invaders... too much trouble."

Paiko swung his sword violently, knocking Nazumi's stolen blade from his hand. It fell to the ground with a sharp clang. "One day, the Fire Nation army came to my village and rounded up the families of all suspected resistance fighters. They killed them... in order to teach us a lesson. My family. My wife. My son."

Nazumi groaned, feeling his shirt go wet from his bleeding wound. "But... but why do this? Did Koh promise you he'd return your family to you? Even he can't do that. You saw what he did for Fen Long..."

Paiko's face was illuminated by the torchlight, and Nazumi could see that unlike Fen Long, Paiko's rage was untainted by madness. The former soldier knew exactly what he was doing. "No, boy. He didn't promise to bring my family back. He promised me that he'd kill everyone else."

Nazumi looked at Paiko's rising blade, paralyzed with fear. "What do you mean, 'everyone?'"

"I mean, the whole world. Now, die!" Paiko shouted, and brought his sword crashing down on the prostrate Nazumi-

-only to have it deflected by Zuko's other sword. The clash of steel rang out throughout the stone chamber, and Paiko turned to see the angry face of the Fire Lord staring back at him.

Zuko pushed Paiko away, and stood over Nazumi. "This man's under my protection. He's a prisoner of the Fire Nation."

Sokka joined him, with his own sword drawn. "And he's our friend. Kind of, anyway. We'd rather you didn't poke any more holes in him."

Paiko stared at his two new adversaries in shock, and saw as they were joined by two unknown women. From their stances and lack of weapons, he could only assume that the females were benders. But he barely registered them, or Sokka for that matter. His full attention was directed at Zuko. _It's really him! The son of Ozai! Let the thief bleed out on his own... this Firebender scum dies on my blade. _"Ha! The young Fire Lord! And you've brought friends..."

Nazumi piped up weakly from the floor. "Yeah, they're with me. They handle my light stuff."

Paiko ignored him, his eyes focused on Zuko. "The Master is indeed generous! You can tell him that yourself... when I cut your spirit from your carcass!" Springing forward like a jungle cat, Paiko leaped with reckless abandon at Zuko, his blade spinning furiously.

Nazumi rolled away from the scrum, and dashed past the enraged Paiko. "Thanks, guys! I owe you one!" he shouted over his shoulder, as he headed further down the stone corridor towards Devil's Breath. In back of him, he heard the sounds of earth and water being bent, and of steel colliding with steel. He almost felt bad about leaving them, but he knew that even without a wound, he'd be of little use in a fight, and he was confident that Zuko and his friends would make short work of Paiko. _But hopefully, not too short._

Eventually, the tunnel he was in opened up onto a ledge that overlooked an enormous chasm. From the unseen depths, columns of hot steam rose up. This was the phenomenon that had lent this area the moniker of 'The Devil's Breath.' Spanning the chasm was a perfectly smooth, broad stone bridge that had could only have been crafted by master Earthbenders. On the far side of the bridge was the entrance to a cave, its sides lined with strange carvings.

Nazumi stopped in his tracks. The one other time he had been here, the cave entrance had been sealed by a rockslide. Something... or some_one_... had cleared it. Nazumi advanced on it cautiously. "Azula? Azula, are you in there?"

His eyes were slowly able to make out what appeared to be a human shape in the darkness of the cave entrance. "Azula, we've got to get out of here! Your brother's... right..."

His words faded away as he saw a figure emerge from the darkness. It was Azula, but not Azula. It had the same physical form of his friend, but something was different about her. Or rather, something was missing. The thing that looked like Azula opened its eyes, its pupils emitting a pale glow.

"Oh, no... What've you-"

He was cut off by a bolt of lightning that shot out of the Azula-thing's mouth. The lightning slammed into his chest, throwing him backwards onto the stone floor and driving all other thoughts from his mind.

**Next: Partners in Crime  
**


	19. Chapter 19: Partners in Crime

**Author's Note: In honor of the U.S. Election Day... vote Azula and Nazumi for your next President and Vice-President! The pyromaniac/kleptomaniac ticket is the way to go!**

**Previously: Aang and his friends have hatched a desperate plan. Aang will confront Koh in the Spirit World, while Katara, Zuko, Toph and Sokka will try and capture Azula. Aang's friends took Nazumi along with them, only to have the thief double-cross them in an effort to reach Azula first. Unfortunately for Nazumi, he was successful… only to be struck down with lightning by Azula herself!**

**Chapter 19: Partners in Crime  
**

With a prodigious leap, Paiko sprang towards Zuko, his blade slicing through the air. As Zuko blocked it with his own sword, Paiko delivered a kick to Sokka's midsection sending him flying across the room. The enraged Earth Kingdom swordsman pressed the attack on Zuko, not giving him the time to bend in response. Paiko had fought numerous benders before, especially during the war. He knew that if he stayed close to Zuko, his companions would be unable to attack him with their full own bending, for fear of hitting the Fire Lord. And once Zuko was dead... it didn't really matter what happened to him. That left the Water Tribe warrior, who had already sprung to his feat and launched an attack of his own. Paiko could see he had some skill with a blade, but he was still a boy. So was the Fire Lord, for that matter. They had never spilt a foe's lifeblood, never seen the look in a dying man's eyes as one twisted the blade.

Toph 'watched' the fight as only she could, by following the vibrations of the combatants through the ground. She knew Katara was in the same predicament as she was, unable to neutralize Paiko with bending because of his close proximity to Zuko and Sokka. And Paiko was a spinning dervish, never staying still long enough for an attack to be launched.

Sokka thrust his sword at Paiko, only to have it parried. In the same movement, Paiko brought the pommel of his sword crashing into Zuko's face, knocking him to the ground. Seeing the Fire Lord's blood seemed to enrage Paiko even further. He lifted up his blade for the killing blow, not caring that he was leaving himself open to Sokka. However, Sokka elected to block Paiko's strike with his own sword. Robbed of his kill, and seeing that Zuko was still stunned, Paiko turned his full attention towards Sokka, murder in his eyes.

Sokka gulped. _OK, this guy's bigger than me, stronger than me, and faster than me. So what would Master Piandao do? Think, Sokka! _He looked around them, searching for an advantage, but the small cavern that they were in offered none. Its only features were the tunnel that had led them here, and the tunnel that Nazumi had disappeared into. _Just like a mouse, to run down its hole... Wait a second, that's it!_

Sokka circled around Paiko, doing his best to block the older man's strikes, but Paiko's energy was limitless, and Sokka's sword had never seemed heavier. His arms felt like stone, and he knew that one way or another, this fight would be over soon. Suddenly, Sokka slipped on a pool of blood, and fell onto his back. Sensing a quick kill, Paiko began to rain blows down upon Sokka's wavering guard, as Sokka backed into the tunnel leading towards the surface in desperation.

Finally, Paiko managed to break Sokka's defenses, just as the younger man managed to crawl into the tunnel's entrance. Paiko crowed in anticipation. "Don't worry, boy, I'll send the Fire Lord to join you, him and that damned thief!" Paiko brought his sword up high over his head, and swung it down... only to have the blade catch in the roof of the narrow tunnel. Seeing his opening, Sokka slammed the hilt of his sword into Paiko's stomach, then rolled passed him and kicked the Earth Kingdom warrior from behind, sending him sprawling further into the tunnel.

"Toph, now!" he shouted as he jumped clear. Needing no further instructions, Toph brought the walls of the tunnel down on Paiko, encasing him in stone and leaving only his head uncovered. The warrior screamed in impotent rage, trapped in an earthen prison.

Katara ran to her brother. "Sokka! Are you all right?"

Sokka stood up, and tried to look like he hadn't been worried. "No problem, Katara. Like Master Piandao taught me, a good warrior always pays attention to his surroundings... right, Paiko?"

Zuko listened to Paiko's increasingly incoherent threats echo through the tunnels. "Damn it! What was that guy's problem?"

Toph spat on the ground, disappointed that she had played such a small role in the fight. "Maybe he realized he's a loser. Who cares? We've got to find Mr. Short, Dark and Wimpy."

Sokka pointed down at the floor, at the trail of blood leading down the opposing tunnel that led deeper into the mountain. "Somehow, I don't think that'll be too hard. C'mon, we'd better catch up with him before he gets into some real trouble."

The friends headed down the corridor, with the keen-eyed Sokka leading the way. The trail of blood seemed to get heavier, and Sokka wondered how badly Nazumi had been wounded. Despite the trouble Nazumi had caused, Sokka knew the thief was in over his head. Azula could have that effect on people_.  
_

Eventually, they made their way to the opening of the Devil's Breath, and the stone bridge leading to the ruin-covered cave on the far side. Lying at the base of the bridge, on its near side, lay Nazumi's prone body, smoke coming off of his burnt torso. On the bridge's far side, dressed in white and with glowing eyes, stood Azula. The princess said nothing, and seemed to be in a trance.

Something was off about her, thought Katara in a flash, but not like during the Agni Kai. She looked like something was missing from her… but one glance at Azula's eyes and Katara knew that whatever it was, it had been replaced by something else. Something truly evil. Katara was paralyzed by fear. _She... she wants revenge... for the Agni Kai. For being imprisoned. She'll kill us all..._

Suddenly, the air around Azula began to crackle. Unlike his sister and the others, Sokka didn't hesitate. "Toph! Wall, quick!" He grabbed Katara and Zuko and threw them behind the makeshift barrier Toph summoned from the ground, just in time to block a fatal blast of lightning.

"Zuko! Cover fire, now!" Not waiting for Zuko's reply, Sokka ran out to where Nazumi was lying. He grabbed hold of Nazumi's blackened shirt and somehow managed to drag him to safety. Meanwhile, Azula unleashed bolt after bolt of lightning at Toph's rapidly crumbling shield.

Sokka turned to Katara and shook her by the shoulders, snapping her out of the state of shock she was in. "Katara, snap out of it! I need you!"

Katara blinked, and looked back at her brother. "S-sorry, Sokka. I just… froze up for a second."

Toph reinforced their protective wall as quickly as Azula blasted it away. "Well, you'd better work on freezing Azula next. She's got her mad on!"

Taking charge, Sokka pointed to Nazumi's body. "No, leave Azula to us! Try and help him. It looks like Azula decided to end their partnership."

Zuko let loose a barrage of flame, hoping to drive Azula back, but Azula merely deflected his blasts. "She's more powerful than ever! I thought that while Aang was keeping Koh busy, she'd be manageable!"

"Imagine what she'd be like if he wasn't!" Sokka shouted as he peered over the barrier, only to duck back down before he was incinerated.

Meanwhile, Katara rolled Nazumi over and ripped open his shirt, revealing the deep burns on his chest. The thief's breathing was slow and ragged, and his face was pale. It didn't take a healer to see that he was dying. Trying to block out the sounds of combat around her, Katara put her hands on his chest and tried to heal his wounds as best she could.

* * *

Nazumi looked at Katara leaning over his body, her hands glowing a pale blue. He could hear Zuko and the others shouting, but their voices were muffled, and his surroundings looked washed out and faded, as if he were seeing the world through a silk screen. He chewed his lip nervously. He had seen a lot of things in his young life, and had been in a lot of scrapes, but this was his first genuine out of body experience. Somehow, he didn't think it bade well for his chances.

"Well, kiddo, you've really stepped in it this time."

Hearing a familiar female voice from his past, Nazumi spun, and stared in disbelieve. Standing behind him was someone he thought he would never see again. She was an Earth Nation woman, thin and with a beautiful, impish face that he had memorized every feature of. All thoughts of Koh and the impending destruction of Ba Sing Se temporarily fled from his mind, and he ran to embrace her.

"Shima! I can't believe it!" He hugged her tightly, half-expecting his arms to pass right through her. But she was real, or at least as real as he was. He relaxed his grip, but still held firmly onto her shoulders. If he had his way, he would have never let go of her again. "Does… does this mean I'm dead?"

Shima deftly extricated herself from Nazumi's arms, and got a proper look at him. "You're not dead yet, but if we're having this conversation, you're not doing too well."

She smoothed back his spiky hair with obvious affection, and patted him gently on the cheek. "Nazumi the Mouse. You haven't changed a bit. Still on the bounce, working the angles. You've really made a name for yourself. You getting tired of living or something?"

Nazumi heard the question behind the question. Shima was looking at him with that look, _her_ look, the one she had always given him when he was up to his usual tricks. Nazumi looked down at her feet, unable to meet her eyes. "Something like that," he muttered.

Shima's face went hard, and her voice took on an edge. She cuffed him on the back of his head. "Don't talk stupid, kid."

Nazumi turned back to where Katara was working on him. From the look on her face, she wasn't having much success. He could almost feel himself slipping away. "Shima… things have gotten so crazy since you… since you died."

"Well, whose fault is that?"

On seeing the hurt in his face, her tone softened. "Nazumi, our gang… you didn't think it would last forever, did you? We all moved on. Why couldn't you?"

Nazumi looked at her incredulously. Shima knew everything about him, everything that was worth knowing, anyway. She already knew the answer to that question. "Because I didn't have anything to move on to!"

Shima pointed to the figure of Azula, on the far side of the bridge. "You do now. I like this Azula. You and she make a good team. She's not as pretty as me, maybe, but…"

Nazumi glanced across the Devil's Breath at Azula's possessed form. _Good for me?! She treats me like an underling! And she tried to kill me! _He watched as Azula summoned bolt after bolt of lightning, threatening to overwhelm Toph's barrier. Whatever she was now, she was more powerful than ever. Zuko and his friends wouldn't last long, even he could see that. "Can't I… can't I stay here with you?"

"Nazumi," she scolded. "It's not like you to give up. Maybe you _have_ changed."

She grabbed him by the shirt, and roughly pressed against a wall. Briefly, he wondered why he didn't just pass through it, since by his reckoning he was almost a ghost at this point. However, he didn't have time to think about this, as Shima questioned him with an edge in her voice.

"Do you remember what I told you? That night Pallo and I freed you from jail?"

Nazumi remembered every moment of that night. It had been burned indelibly into his brain. "You told me… you told me to look hard, listen hard, and think hard."

"And?" she demanded.

"And always stick by my friends," Nazumi stammered. He had rarely seen Shima this angry, and never with him. In her way, she could be as dangerous as anyone he had ever met, and he found himself hoping that spirits couldn't feel pain.

"So did you forget?" she asked as she shook him. "Did you?"

Shima let him go, and he looked once more at Azula. In her current state, she was almost unrecognizable. Azula was always so in control, so collected. This... thing in front of him was like a storm raging out of control. _No. Not a thing. My friend. And maybe she did do all those things to me, but… she saved my life, too. _Shortly, he turned back to Shima. "No. I didn't."

Shima nodded. "Then you'd better do something quick. There's a worm that needs to be stepped on."

Nazumi nodded, his face determined.

Shima bent down and kissed Nazumi's cheek. "My brave little mouse. School's out. You're all grown up now. She's lucky to have a friend like you. Take care of yourself, Nazumi. Try slowing down for a change."

Nazumi looked up at her with a lopsided smile. "I'll try."

Suddenly, he could feel himself being pulled back towards his body. Turning back towards Shima, he saw her fading away. "Shima…does it hurt? Dying, I mean."

As she disappeared, Shima gave him the same roguish grin that he had been dreaming about ever since she died. "It's a hell of a lot easier than living, kid. But don't go proving me right just yet…"

* * *

Nazumi gasped, and opened his eyes. He saw Katara's concerned face hovering above him. "Wh-what happened? I..."

Katara held him down, as lightning rained down around them. "Don't try to move. You're still hurt. I couldn't heal you completely."

Sokka shouted back at them above the fray. 'Yeah, Azula really did a number on you."

Nazumi pushed Katara's hands aside, and forced himself into a seated position. "No. It's not her, it's Koh. We've got to help her."

Suddenly, their barrier was momentarily breached by a bolt of lightning, only to be shored up by Toph. The young Earthbender snarled back at them, her face slick with sweat. "Listen, right now _we're _the ones who need help. Guys, we can't take her, not like this. Pull back, I'll... I'll bring the mountain down on her."

"No way," said Zuko, realizing the implications of Toph's words. "That's not an option."

"It's the _only_ option," Toph grunted in reply. "Who knows how long Aang can last against Koh? Once he goes down, this'll seem like a warm-up. She'll be unstoppable. It's the only way to save the city." Toph tried to look optimistic. "I love you guys. Tell my parents I went down fighting."

Sokka grabbed her arm. "Toph, no! You don't have to do this!"

"He's right," Nazumi agreed as he put one leg over the barrier. "You don't."

"Nazumi, wait!" Katara shouted, but it was too late. Nazumi had already started sprinting towards Azula. She waited for him to be blasted to ash by the princess, but amazingly enough, he managed to spin out of the way of an incoming bolt of lightning. _He'll never make it. It's like a no man's land out there. And she's so far away..._

But Nazumi streaked towards Azula like he was made of lightning himself, dancing around the incoming bolts electricity as if they were moving in slow motion. She kept expecting him to be cut down, but the black blur that was Nazumi somehow made it to a quarter of the way across the bridge, and then halfway. Just as Katara thought there was no way he could avoid any more incoming fire, Azula let out one final bolt as Nazumi leapt towards her. It lanced through Nazumi's shoulder, but the thief's momentum carried him forward, and he crashed into her. The two of them fell backwards into the rune-lined cave, and disappeared in a flash of brilliant light.

* * *

Azula looked down at the courtyard, where Aang and Koh were locked in battle. Things were going poorly for the Avatar; it was only a matter of time, now. She supposed she should be feeling a sense of victory, or at least relief. Instead, she found herself hoping that somehow, Aang would win the day, even if it meant she had to return to prison. The price of her own victory would be too high. She knew the world viewed her as the evil offspring of a would-be dictator, but she chalked that up to history being written by the victors. She knew she wasn't evil, just... misunderstood. If her father had managed to defeat the Avatar, she would have been remembered as a hero of the Fire Nation. And anyway, she had only done what her father had raised her to do. But if she allowed this to happen, allowed Koh loose upon the world..._ They'll be right about me. I'll be evil. Beyond redemption._ _What have I gotten myself into? What have I done?_

"Anyone ever tell you you're beautiful when you're about to destroy the world?"

Azula jumped in surprise._ It can't be. He's dead... isn't he?_ Azula turned around, and saw Nazumi standing on the hilltop beside her. He looked even more beat up than he had after his fight with the bounty hunters in Minoto, but he was in one piece.

Nazumi hunched his shoulders. "Sorry, I know you hate when I sneak up on you."

Azula ran to him, her arms outstretched. "Nazumi! You're alive! I..." She paused at the last second, awkwardly aborting the hug she was about to give him and replacing it with a comradely pat on the shoulders. "I... umm... I was worried about you. I'm... glad you're all right."

Nazumi scratched his head nervously. "Not for lack of trying." Inwardly, he felt a tidal wave of relief._ She doesn't realize that she almost killed me. That means it's Koh who's fighting Zuko and the others right now, not her. I knew it!_

Azula's brow became furrowed. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to go to Ember Island…"

"Yeah, rumor has it I'm not as dumb as I look. I knew you were trying to get me out of danger… thanks for that, by the way."

"But, if you didn't go to there, then-"

Nazumi gave her a guilty look, and shuffled from one foot to another. "I, ah, went to your Uncle's shop, to get help. Turns out your brother and the Avatar had the same idea. I... um... kind of caught a ride here with them."

Azula backed away from him. She felt the familiar sensation of a knife being placed in her back. "You… you're with my brother? You betrayed me too?"

Nazumi said nothing in response, but the look on his soot-stained face showed how deeply Azula's words had cut. In a way, coming back for her _was_ a betrayal, a betrayal of himself. Ever since Shima had died, he had managed to avoid forming any lasting relationships. It made for a lonely life, but at some point, he had decided that was better than the alternative. He was tired of losing people he cared about, and it was easier to not have any friends rather than to have them and lose them. Essentially, he lived his life by the simple rules of keeping his head down, his legs pumping and never looking back. Now, for the first time since Shima's death, he had broken those rules, and the end result was just as painful as he had remembered.

Nazumi sighed. Trying to find the words to explain himself, he realized how exhausted he was. "I didn't betray you. As crazy as it sounds, I came back to save you from Koh. Turns out I have to save you from yourself."

Azula's pride flared up. "I don't need saving anymore, Nazumi. I... I have everything under control."

"Do you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Azula replied hotly. "Look down there! You see the mighty Avatar? The boy who defeated my father? Even now, he fights Koh. But he'll fail. Koh is too powerful for him here. _I'm_ too powerful."

Nazumi looked down towards the courtyard, where Aang and Koh were locked in battle. Aang was putting up a brave fight, but Koh certainly seemed to have the upper hand. And once the spirit beat Aang, he would complete his possession of Azula. He turned back to Azula. "And then what?"

His question seemed to stump Azula. "W-what do you mean?"

"When does it stop, Azula?"

Azula's false confidence began to show its cracks. "When... when I'm Fire Lord. When I've gotten back everything that was mine."

"Fire Lord... is that what you really want? I thought that was your father's dream."

"Don't you talk about him like that! He... he was a great man!"

"Yeah, he was so great he treated you like a weapon."

Now it was his words that had stung her, and the fact that somewhere inside she knew that they were true made them all the more potent. "Shut up! What do you know about him? What do you know about _family_? You don't know what it's like to have parents!" _Why is he doing this? Why bring up my father now?_

Nazumi cocked his head at her. If he was offended, he didn't show it. "You're right. I don't know about families. Maybe you can teach me about them. Tell me… are you willing to kill Zuko? Really kill him? Because that's what you'll have to do. That's what Koh will _make _you do."

Azula frowned. It had been a question she had been avoiding. She had been so angry at Zuko for so long, it was hard to think clearly about him. Hard to remember ever having _not_ been angry at him. On one level, she had supposed that when Zuko realized the helplessness of his situation, saw that there was no hop for victory, he would surrender. But on a deeper lever, one that she tried not to think about, she knew Zuko would _never _surrender, not to her and certainly not to Koh. He would die first. She had put off dealing with this for weeks, but now Nazumi was pressing the issue. "If... if I have to," she said with false conviction.

"Really? Your brother may be a pompous ass, but he loves you, you know."

"Stop it, Nazumi." She looked at him darkly. She knew what he was doing, and she would not allow it.

Nazumi persisted. "What about Iroh? Can you kill him? Before I came here, he asked me to save you. He loves you, too."

"I said, stop it!"

"How about Mai? And Ty Lee? Ty Lee almost took my head off when she thought I betrayed you. Are you willing to kill them also?"

"STOP IT!" Azula shouted at him. Spinning away from him, she looked down once more at the battle in the courtyard. She brought her hand to her forehead. Nazumi didn't understand her family. He didn't even understand her, not really. If he did, he wouldn't have come here for her. _Damn it, Nazumi! Why did you have to come back? I wish you would have gone to Ember Island like I told you to! Better yet... I wish you had never freed me from that prison in the first place._

"Don't say that," Nazumi shouted at her, and Azula realized she had inadvertently spoken her thoughts. "Don't _ever_ say that. Helping spring you was the best thing I ever did."

"Damn it, Nazumi..." she muttered. _If you only knew... If you only knew what kind of person I am, you wouldn't be so quick to say that. _She looked at him, and knew then that whatever she chose, even if she sided with Koh, he would support her. Just like Ty Lee and Mai had, in the past. Before she pushed them away from her. That loyalty... it was both a burden and a blessing. "You don't know how powerful Koh is. I couldn't say no."

Nazumi put his hand on her shoulder. "You may not believe it, but you're better than this. You don't need Koh to make you special, and you don't need to be the Fire Lord either. I was in Ba Sing Se the night you took the city. When I heard that there would be a public parade for the city's new ruler, I knew I had to go. Just to see who was so arrogant that they thought they could control _my_ city. I was expecting some stuck-up spoiled brat. But then I saw you. You were... awesome. You had the whole city eating out of the palm of your hand. I'd never seen anyone like that."

Despite everything that was happening, Azula laughed bitterly. "Just to set the record straight, I'm not the worldbeater you're giving me credit for. Everyone, even my father, was looking to me to run the city. I had no idea what I was doing! That confident girl you saw, that was just an act!"

Nazumi looked at her earnestly. "No, it wasn't. I know you. Maybe better than you know yourself. You can do this. You're not Koh's slave. And you're not Ozai's perfect princess. You're your own person. A _good _person. I wish you could see that."

Azula looked down at the fight in the courtyard. She thought about what Koh had shown her. A life of humiliation, alone, without friends, family, or honor. But he had lied to her about Nazumi being dead. Had he lied about that, as well? What did her future really hold?

She felt like she was at a crossroads. One road, the one she had followed her whole life, led to the Fire Nation throne, to power, to all that she ever thought she wanted. The other road led to... uncertainty, and the freedom and danger that came with it. She knew that she would have to make a choice. It was a decision she had been avoiding for the past year, perhaps for her entire life. But there wasn't any more time for stalling. She felt like she was drowning under the weight of her own destiny... then she looked at Nazumi, and realized that maybe, in the nick of time, he had thrown her a lifeline.

She sighed wearily. "He'll probably kill us, you know. Koh, I mean. And if he doesn't, my brother will lock us up until our hair is gray. They won't forgive us for almost setting Koh loose."

Nazumi realized what she was saying, and hugged her excitedly. "I knew it! I knew you couldn't go through with this!" Releasing her, he gave her a nervous grin. "And honestly? I never expected us to make it this far."

Azula closed her eyes and felt herself relax. Strangely, she felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders, one that had been present since she was a little girl. She almost giggled. She realized this was what freedom, real freedom, was like. She opened her eyes, for what felt like the first time. "I'd better get down there before that blasted Avatar gets himself killed."

"Right." Nazumi began rubbing her shoulders like she was a prizefighter. "Now don't get cocky, Koh looks pretty powerful. So keep your defenses up, or he'll blast you to bits."

"OK."

"But don't be too gun-shy. If you don't take the fight to him, he'll run right through you."

"Right."

"And don't get too fancy, he'll see right through you and then it'll be all over."

"Sure."

"But don't be too obvious, either, or-"

"Nazumi!" Azula shouted with irritation. "You're not helping!"

"Sorry..." Nazumi mumbled.

Azula straightened out her cloths, and began to mentally prepare herself for battle. "Anything else?"

"Just one more thing. I'm proud of you. That, and..." he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "And good luck."

Azula turned scarlet. "Thanks. I... I should get going."

Abruptly turning away from him, she headed down the hill towards the battle. As she did so, she realized with a wince that she almost felt more comfortable marching into the fight of her life than she did getting kissed. It was Ozai's legacy for her; she knew how to fight, but not how to live. _It's probably something I should work on, when I get out of here_. Looking at the destruction before her, she hastily amended her words. _If. If I get out of here._

**Next: Out of the Ashes  
**


	20. Chapter 20: Out of the Ashes

**Author's Note: We're in the final stretch! Thanks to everyone for helping me break the "100th review" barrier!  
**

**Previously: Koh's plan has come to fruition at last. Having tricked Nazumi into bringing him Azula, Koh has now possessed the princess, and plans to use her to enter the Natural World. Aang and his friends have responded with a two-pronged attack against Koh in both the Natural and Spirit Worlds, but the battle is not going their way. Koh seems to hold all the cards. However, unknown to him, a recalcitrant Azula has realized that there may be more to life than personal power, and the evil spirit may find out that he has worse enemies than the Avatar...**

**Chapter 20: Out of the Ashes **

Aang pieced his way through the rubble of the devastated courtyard, feeling every one of his hundred-plus years. He had lost track of how long he had been fighting Koh. He vaguely remembered telling Katara that this was all part of the plan, that all he had to do was stall Koh. But the plan had changed; he was in the fight of his life. He felt like he was battling an earthquake or a tsunami. Koh would absorb every attack Aang threw at him, only to return stronger. It was if the spirit had no weaknesses. Aang was getting desperate enough to enter the Avatar state, but he knew that doing so would be playing directly into Koh's hands. If Aang was killed while in the Avatar state, there would be no one left to prevent Koh's reign of terror. He wondered, briefly, if that had been Koh's plan all along.

Suddenly, he felt the ground rumble beneath his feat, heralding another attack by Koh. The spirit wasn't trying to outwit him, relying instead on overwhelming force. It was almost as if Koh was toying with him. _Toying with me… that's it. That's his weakness. He's overconfident. He's never really lost a fight before. _

With a crash, Koh's hideous body erupted from the ground. But Koh had used that trick before, and Aang was waiting for him. The Avatar launched a massive boulder at Koh's head just as it emerged from the soil, and the spirit screamed with rage. However, Koh's anger seemed to be based more on surprise than actual pain.

"Getting sloppy, Koh!"Aang shouted as he followed up a blast of fire. It was at times like these that he wished he had spent more time practicing his firebending. Even now, he found it the hardest of the four elements to bend, but there was no denying its power as an offensive weapon. Judging by the screech emitted from Koh's gaping maw, the spirit evidently concurred.

But Koh's thrashing was a feint, and his tail whipped out from behind Aang, knocking him off of his feet and driving the air from his lungs. Koh then launched his own fiery attack at Aang, and only a hastily summoned air shield saved Aang from a painful death.

"I think you are the one who is sloppy, boy," Koh hissed at him. "Your paltry abilities may impress your fellow mortals, but you're not dealing with a dictator with delusions of grandeur. You won't be the first Avatar I've killed. Or didn't Kuruk tell you that?"

Aang winced as he tried to sidestep to cover. Koh's last attack had done something to his left leg, and he could barely put any weight on it.

"You begin to bore me, Avatar. I think I will kill you now. How does it feel, to know that you will die here, away from your precious friends? How does it feel to know that you will die alone?" Koh's form towered up above him, a dark mass of legs and scales.

Aang braced himself for what looked to be a devastating attack from his nemesis. If he was going to enter the Avatar state, it would have to be now...

"He isn't alone, Koh. You are."

Despite Koh's imminent attack, Aang spun towards the familiar voice. _There's no way. It couldn't be... _

"Azula?" he said, stunned.

But Azula ignored him, and with the element of surprise in her favor, launched a massive lightning bolt at Koh's neck. It struck with devastating results, and when the spirit let out another scream, there was no doubt as to its nature.

"You!" Koh howled in rage. "What do you think you're doing?"

Seeing an opening, Azula grabbed Aang and, using her firebending to propel them, fled the main courtyard with Aang in tow, trying to put as much distance between them and Koh as possible.

They came to rest in a side area of the palace, and Aang pulled himself from Azula's clutches. Staring at the renegade princess with suspicion, and falling into a defensive stance, he stammered, "What _are_ you doing, Azula?"

"Saving your life, Avatar!" Azula replied curtly. She hadn't expected Aang to fall to his knees, but she felt a bit of gratitude would be appropriate.

"I thought you were working with Koh," he replied, his guard still up.

Azula looked away from him. He had every right to suspect her. After all, she _had_ been with Koh. And it wasn't too long ago that she had shot Aang in the back. "I… I was."

Aang stared at her with anger. "Azula, you... you _idiot!_ Do you have any idea what you've done? Koh isn't some underling you can manipulate! He's pure evil! If he gets loose, it'll be hell on earth!"

Azula said nothing; there was nothing _to_ say. Aang was right. She had been a fool. And realizing it after the fact didn't make things better. Good intentions wouldn't mean a thing if Koh escaped his chains.

Aang saw Azula struggling in silence. That in and of itself was unexpected; the Azula he had known would never have let him talk to her that way. It was surprising enough to mollify him, at least somewhat. "So what happened?"

"I realized... I realized that I was better than that. I suppose that sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?"

Aang stared at her. Something was different about Azula. He had been expecting a lie or a trick, but somehow, he knew she was telling the truth. Whatever else she was, she wasn't the girl he had been hunting. He realized that even she had her limits. For some reason, he found that reassuring. And he knew that he would need all of the help he could get. He put his hand on her shoulder. "No. No, it doesn't. For what it's worth... I'm glad to have you aboard."

Azula felt embarrassed at Aang's show of affection, and brushed him off. "Before we start celebrating, I don't suppose you have a plan?"

Aang looked back the way they had come. "I've been looking for an opening to enter the Avatar state, but Koh won't give me any breathing room. If you could distract him..."

Azula winced. As plans went, it was weak. She wished Nazumi was here. Despite his ineffectiveness in a fight, he always seemed to know how to get out of seemingly hopeless situations. _No, better he's not here. This is a fight we can't win._

"Fine, Aang. Let's split up. I-" Suddenly, the sky grew dark, as storm clouds rolled in from the horizon, blotting out the sun. It was like watching an accelerated version of a thunderstorm. Azula could feel the air pressure around them drop, and the courtyard became eerily silent.

"Aang," she asked quietly, "I don't suppose you learned how to redirect lightning?"

Aang glanced at her. "Why do you-"

"Move!" she shouted, and pushed him out of the way. Above them the skies opened up, and a hellacious torrent of lightning lashed down at them. At the same time, the ground broke up beneath their feet, almost thrusting them upwards into the oncoming onslaught. Apparently, Koh had reached his limits as well.

* * *

Aang coughed, and tried to see through the thick dust that surrounded him. "Azula?"

He heard only silence in response. Getting nervous, he raised his voice. "Azula? Azula, where are you? Say something!"

Then, to the left, he heard a slight cough. "I'm over here," voiced the princess weakly.

Aang climbed over the rumble towards the source of the voice. Eventually, he reached Azula, but withdrew in horror when he found her.

Azula could see Aang flinch, and gave him a bitter smile. Her body lay at an awkward angle, and a gaping wound had been burned in the center of her stomach. The smell of burnt flesh clung to her.

Aang tried to change the expression on his face as he knelt down beside her. "Don't worry, Azula. You'll be all right," he said, though he knew this was a lie. What's more, he knew that she knew.

"All right?" she asked with a cold, distant voice. "Aang, I can't feel my legs."

Aang exhaled slowly. In his mind, Azula had had a place as one of his most dangerous, most powerful foes. Now, glancing down at her broken body, she looked like a small, fragile bird that had been carelessly crushed. And in her eyes, eyes that he had only known to show defiance, arrogance and confidence, he saw only resignation. _No. I've seen enough death to last me the rest of my lifetime. Friend or foe, I'm not letting her die. _"I'm getting you out of here, Azula. None of this is real. Once we're back in the Natural World, back in our bodies, you'll be fine."

"Aang," Azula gasped, the effort of speaking taking its toll, "there's no body for me to go back to. It's Koh's now. I gave it to him, of my own accord. If I go back now, he'll follow me. I can't leave here."

Aang now understood the reason for Azula's expression of helplessness. If he returned to the Natural World, he would wake up in his body, which was sitting in the wine cellar of Iroh's tea shop, as healthy as when he first came here. But Azula had nowhere to retreat to. But if she tried, Koh would be unleashed upon the world in his full might.

Reading Aang's face, Azula saw that he had realized what she meant. She could see him looking for some way out, some way to save her and keep Koh trapped. If she hadn't been in so much pain, she would have been flattered. _All that I've done to him, and he'd still risk everything to save me. I don't know whether to pity him or admire him. I guess that's what's been wrong with me my whole life. But I'll be damned if I let him throw his life away for me. If I leave this world today, it will be free of debt._

"Aang," she said, her voice strengthened by her determination, "it's time for you to go home."

"What?" Aang asked, bewildered.

"I said, it's time for you to go. There's nothing more for you to do here."

"No!" Aang snarled. "I won't leave you here for Koh to slaughter!"

Azula laughed bitterly. "Koh won't kill me, Avatar. He _can't._ If he does, he loses his doorway into our world. No, he's not trying to kill me, he's trying to _break_ me."

"But-"

"He's already got his talons in me, but he hasn't yet managed to cross over into our world all the way. And as long as I stay here, he can't. Don't you see? I can't leave here, but neither can he, not without my help. It's a battle of wills... but that's a fight you can't help me with."

Aang shook his head. He hated himself for what he was about to say, but hundreds of thousands of lives were depending on him. "Azula, I'm sorry, but I can't just walk away. And... and not just because of you. What if you're right? What if he does break you?"

Azula looked him dead in the eyes, her expression no different than when they had faced off against each other during the war. "Don't worry, Avatar, I won't let Koh escape. Even if it costs me my life. You have my word on that. It must still be good for something."

Aang looked away from her. There had been times during the war when he had hated Azula, but the thought of leaving her here, alone, went against everything he believed in. "Azula, don't do this. Let me help you..."

"Help me?" she coughed, blood oozing from a corner of her mouth. "No, it's too late for that. I made my own choices, Aang. Remember that. Besides, I won't give your witch of a girlfriend something else to blame me for. Go."

"Azula," he protested, "you don't have to die alone." Despite his entreaty, he already knew it was futile. Her mind was made up, and what was more, they had no other options. If she did fail, he would have to be ready to fight Koh in the Natural World.

Azula could see the pity on Aang's face, and it lent her strength fueled by anger. "I said, go!" she shouted at him. "Get out of here! I don't need you! I don't need anyone! GO!"

Aang stared with sadness at Azula. Her outburst had cost her, and she sunk down into a heap on the floor. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was ragged. She moaned softly. "Just... go..."

Aang started to say something, but realized that he had nothing left to say. She had started on this road a long time ago, and now her journey had come to an end. All he could do was to bid her farewell. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Goodbye, Princess Azula. May your spirit find peace."

Then, he was gone.

Eventually, Azula opened her eyes. Looking around her, she realized that she recognized where she was. Of course, it wasn't difficult; the entire courtyard was a near-perfect replication of the palace where she had grown up, created by her own memories. But this particular place had special meaning for her. It was the site of her first firebending lesson, where Zuko had shown her how to control her breathing.

She laughed bitterly. It was almost appropriate that it end here, where in some ways it had begun. _How would my life have turned out, if Zuko had refused to teach me that day? If I had never learned to firebend?_

She pictured herself, the docile princess that she felt her mother always wanted, paired off in some marriage of convenience for the sake of the royal family. _No, that's what Father would have me believe of her. Mother would never allow that. She... she did love me. I can admit that now. Whatever she may have said, she loved me.  
_

She closed her eyes, and tallied her regrets. _I wish... I wish I had been more honest with myself. I spent my whole life being someone that I wasn't, someone that Father wanted me to be. There was so much left undone. I should have helped Zuko find Mother. Told her how much she meant to me, how much I missed her. I should have asked Mai and Ty Lee to forgive me. They were good friends. They only tried to save me from myself. Like Nazumi tried.  
_

_Nazumi. You silly boy... you thought you were being subtle, but you couldn't be any more obvious. You'll probably spend the rest of your life trying to get to the Spirit World to find me. Except I'm not even in the Spirit World._

_Not even in the Spirit World._

She opened her eyes with a snap. Her mind raced, trying to remember what Koh had told her, when she had woken up in this strange place that had resembled her childhood home. He had said it was the 'backdoor of reality', in part made of the Spirit World, but also fashioned from her memories. It was a place where Aang was at a disadvantage...

But maybe she wasn't.

_My memories. They've been nothing but a curse for the last year. Maybe for once they can help me._

She closed her eyes once more, trying to remember a far-away feeling, one of power and reckless abandon...

* * *

She had briefly passed out from the pain, which had been a blessing in itself, but it had returned with a vengeance. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the shape of a person standing in front of her. "Damn it, Aang, I told you to go..."

"I'm not Aang," the figure responded coldly.

Shaking her head to clear her vision, Azula realized with a gasp that it was Nazumi standing in front of her. "Nazumi! What are you doing here? You've got to get out of here right away. You have to... have to..."

Her voice trailed off as she saw the expression on his face. It was one of complete and utter hatred, not just of her but of all life. It was a face devoid of any humanity.

"Koh," she said, feeling an icy stab of fear in her heart.

"That's right, princess. Do you like me new look?" Then, without warning, 'Nazumi' kicked her viciously in her stomach. Azula screamed in pain, and almost passed out again.

"I like it. I like it so much, I think I'm going to find this pathetic thief when I... that is, when _we _enter the Natural World. I think I'll enjoy making him suffer. I'll enjoy watching his face as he sees his dear friend Azula come to kill him. I'll let you watch, of course. It would only be fair." Koh lashed out with his foot again, snapping Azula's head back.

Azula spit out a mouthful of blood, and in spite of herself began to laugh at Koh. Despite his threats, he was trapped just as well as she was. All of his bravado couldn't change that fact. "You're not going anywhere, Koh. I won't let you. I hope you like me, because we're going to be stuck together for a long, long time."

Koh paused, and watched her like a hawk following a mouse. "You don't know what you're saying, princess."

"Don't I?" she spat at him. "I know you can't kill me, Koh. You need me alive. And as long as I don't go back to my body, you're stuck here."

Koh's eyes went wide. "There are worse things than dying, princess."

Azula groaned as she struggled to sit up. "I know that now. You already taught me that lesson. The person I was, the person I had become... it would be better to die than go back to that. Better to die than to become like you. A pathetic worm. A parasite, feeding on others. A burrowing grub, afraid of the light, cowering in darkness. You're nothing, Koh. Nothing. And no matter what happens here today, you'll always be trapped, alone."

Something inside Koh snapped. He blasted the prone Azula with a bolt of lightning, once, and then again, and again once more. It was enough to kill anyone several times over, but Azula did not die, though she longed for it. He screamed at her blacked body, spittle flying from his lips. "How dare you? HOW DARE YOU? You _bitch! _Who are you to interfere with my plans? You think you're making a noble sacrifice? You think your fellow mortals will remember your heroic death? Long after your name has been forgotten, you'll remain here, my favorite plaything. You'll beg for a death that will never come! You'll plead with me to release you, to let you serve me. Anything to end the torment! _But it will never end_. Do you understand that, 'princess?'"

Koh rolled over Azula's prone body with his foot. Staring into her vacant eyes, he spit on her. "You foolish girl. You could have had the world. But no, you had to let that simpleton let you think you're better than you are, and you threw everything away. You're _just like me, _princess. Did you forget that? Who did you think you were?"

Azula groaned. The pain was greater than she could have ever imagined. But greater still was the pain from Koh's words. She wasn't like Koh. Not during the war, and certainly not now. She would make him regret not killing her. Grimacing, she lifted herself up on her burnt arms. She knew she shouldn't have been able to move... and yet she did.

She stared at Koh with the look that had made the armies of the Earth Kingdom tremble during the war, the look that had earned her the nickname 'The Daughter of the Dragon' amongst the Fire Nation soldiers. "Who am I, Master Koh? Who am I? I am Azula, daughter of Ursa. Niece of Iroh, the Dragon of the West. Great-granddaughter of Avatar Roku. Conqueror of Bah Sing Se. I am a humble servant and princess of the Fire Nation. And before this day is over, I will show you that even demons can burn."

A flash of light appeared above them. Koh ignored it, looking hungrily at his prey, and Azula disregarded it, knowing full well what it was. But if Koh _had_ bothered to look up, he would have seen, streaking across the night sky, the tail of a rapidly approaching comet.

* * *

Koh advanced on the broken princess. Let her make her speeches. She would suffer as no other mortal had suffered. Her torment would be known throughout the Spirit World, a testament to those who would dare to defy him. The Avatar may have won this round. He would be unable to cross into the Natural World... _for now._ But if there was one thing Koh had, it was time, and if there was one quality he possessed, it was patience. He could afford to wait. He would find another agent, one foolish enough to trade his or her soul for a smidgen of power. And then, then he would have his revenge on the world, for this indignity among others. For now, he would slake his thirst with the soul of this stupid girl. Except...

Except the girl seemed to be _glowing._ He had never seen anything like it before, in all his years. Was it some last-ditch attempt to hold him off? Some pathetic counterattack? No matter. She would soon know only darkness. Her suffering would become the stuff of legends. He would enjoy hearing her broken screams. Except...

Except now it was getting warm. No, in actuality it was getting _hot. _Or to be more specific, _she_ was getting hot. Heat was building up around this stupid girl, pouring off of her, as a matter of fact. And she was only getting hotter. Again, it was of little consequence. He was Koh. He had crawled across molten lakes of fire in the fiery depths of the Spirit World. Mere heat could not hurt him. Except...

Except he _did _feel pain. He realized this pathetic mortal was _hurting _him. This couldn't be happening, and yet it was. Feeling a spike of panic, he moved on her, determined to end this quickly. He would have to give her a quick death. She was too dangerous. But he found that he could not move any closer to her. Any attempts to do so increased his agony, and in fact he realized that he was backing away, in spite of himself, backing away from this unbearable _heat. _This girl, this pathetic girl, she burned like the heart of a sun, and was only getting hotter, glowing so bright he could no longer look at her. He had to get away from her. This wasn't possible, this was _not _possible... but then he noticed with horror the flames that rushed towards him.

And for the first time he could remember, Koh knew what it was like to be afraid.

* * *

_Zuko stands beside me. He's with the Water Tribe girl, Katara. Next to her is my mother, my uncle, Mai and Ty Lee, even Nazumi. They're shouting something at me, reaching out to me. But I can't hear them, or maybe I don't want to. The power of my great-grandfather's comet, my true birthright, washes over me. It's as intoxicating as I remember. Once more, I feel myself losing control, letting the comet's will take over. Once more, it wants to burn the entire world to ashes. But this time, I am no longer scared. This time, I want the same thing.  
_

_My enemy is before me, screaming. He is trying to escape, but there is nowhere for him to escape to. He cannot outrun destiny, and today, his destiny is linked to mine. __I have become what I was always meant to be. __He's begging me to stop, offering me riches, power, ANYTHING to end the pain. Why does he bother? It's too late for him, too late for the both of us. I can feel the hunger of the comet within me, matched only by my own. My enemy's face is dissolving into a sea of fear and agony, but all I can do is laugh as I raise my hand to him. Flames leap forth from my fingertips, spreading outwards exponentially, engulfing him, spreading across this place that I once called home, enveloping the both of us in pure, never-ending white light...  
_

* * *

Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong hands grab her by the shoulders. In her ear, a sly female voice spoke to her. "Sorry, kid. No going down in a blaze of glory for you. The Mouse would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. Besides, we both know he needs someone to look after him."

Azula felt the hands pulling her, up and away from the inferno beneath her. She tried to protest, but she was so tired, so weak. She barely had time to wonder who they belonged to before the world went dark.

**Next: The Girl Least Likely To...**


	21. Chapter 21: The Girl Least Likely To

**Author's Note: I predict fans of Iroh will like this chapter. I don't know how it happened but it's the longest one yet by far... I guess I'm trying to squeeze everything in, since (sniff) it's almost over. Another Duck, I wound up adding the first part of the next chapter to the end of this one; I just liked the way it ended the chapter better.  
**

**Previously: The evil spirit Koh has tasted defeat at the hands of Azula, his plans to possess her having backfired. But Azula and Nazumi aren't out of trouble yet. They are still fugitives, and to the rest of the world, they are Koh's allies. Can they escape one last time? Or are they doomed to wind up right back where they started?**

**Chapter 21: The Girl Least Likely To…**

_The young girl sat on her mother's lap, as her mother gently combed her long hair. Although she lived in a palace, here in her mother's arms was her favorite place in the world. Only here did she ever truly feel safe. She realized that she was getting older, that soon she would be too big for her mother to hold. But for now, they could carry on as they always had; the future had not yet come._

_"Mom, do you love me?" the girl asked, seemingly out of the blue._

_"Azula!" the older woman chided, as she continued to stoke her hair with the comb. "What kind of question is that?"_

_"Well..." the girl continued, fidgeting."Will you always love me?"_

_The woman chuckled. "Are you trying to tell me you've been getting into trouble with your brother again? Zuko should know better."_

_The girl squirmed in her mother's arms. "Mom, I'm serious! I need to know. Will you always love me, no matter what I did? Or what I became?"_

_The mother realized her daughter was upset, and set her down so she could look at her. "Azula. I'll always love you. No matter what happens. Until the end of the world. OK?"_

_But instead of having the comforting effect that they were intended to have, the mother's words seemed to trouble the young girl. She brought her hands to her face, and began to gently sob._

_"There, there, Azula. What's wrong?" The mother gathered her only daughter back up into her arms, rocking her gently._

_"It's just..." The girl struggled to speak, her body shaking softly. "Nothing's turned out the way I thought it would, Mom. My whole life… I've wasted it. I've messed everything up so badly. I... I hate myself."_

_The mother looked smiled tenderly at her young daughter, and dried her eyes. "Azula, everyone makes mistakes. You're not alone in that. And you're so young. You have your whole life ahead of you. I think you'll find that the rest of the world will forgive you... as long as you forgive yourself."_

_The mother took her daughter's hand, and stood up to her full height. "Azula... you _do_ know I'm not real, right? You know you've only been imagining me?"_

_The girl wiped her face, and sighed heavily. "I know that, Mom. I know you're not really here. It's just... things were so hard. It was easier... to pretend that you _were_ here. Easier to have someone to talk to."_

_The mother nodded knowingly. "I know, Azula. But the time for pretending is over. You're a young woman, now. And it's time to wake up."

* * *

_

"Wake up, Azula!"

Slowly, Azula opened her eyes. She felt as if she had been asleep for days. She brought her hand to her head, trying to remember the events of the last few hours. She had been brought to this cave. Then, she had been taken somewhere else. She had met with Koh, had almost made the biggest mistake of her life. Then Nazumi had found her, like he always did, and she had fought Koh...

She had fought Koh, and won. And now here she was, back in the same cave, with a tattered and bleeding Nazumi huddled over her, shaking her frantically.

"Azula, _please, _wake up! We've got to get out of here!"

Azula sat up. "I'm... I'm awake, Nazumi. I... did you see that girl? The one who pulled me to safety? Where did she go?"

Nazumi looked at her as if she had gone insane. "Azula, I don't know who you're talking about. You're the only girl in here, except for your brother's friends, who're right behind me, and who're going to catch us if we don't get out of here _now!"_

Azula slowly struggled to her feet, only to feel a delayed sense of relief that she was able to do so at all. She looked down at herself; the grievous wounds she had suffered in her battle with Koh were gone. Glancing at Nazumi, she realized that whomever he had fought with had left a more lasting impression. Blood was seeping through his shirt, and he was covered in scorch marks and burns. He looked like he had been through hell and back.

"Nazumi, you're hurt!" she gasped.

Nazumi looked at her with an odd expression, and then shook his head. "You really don't... forget it. We've got to go. _Now."_

Taking Azula's hand in his, he pulled her out of the cave as quickly as he could, dragging her in desperation. "If we hurry, we can get out of here in the confusion. Get back to Ba Sing Se. I'll figure something out when-"

"No one's going anywhere."

Immediately outside of the cave, Azula and Nazumi were blocked by a battle-weary Zuko, who was flanked by Katara, Sokka and Toph. They looked exhausted, but ready for a fight if necessary, their expressions hard.

Azula almost laughed. After what she had just been through, she was almost relieved to see her brother... until she realized why they were so angry. She groaned, putting her hand on her forehead. _They don't know what happened in there. They don't know that I helped Aang, that I defeated Koh._

Katara undid the clasp on her canteen, ready to bend water in case of resistance. "Stand down, Azula. You've lost. Again."

Azula started to say something in protest, but Nazumi pulled her aside, and stood in front of her. "Get out of here. I'll hold them off."

Hoping to diffuse the situation, Azula put her hands on his chest to restrain him. "Nazumi, that's not necessary..."

Sokka looked at the unarmed Nazumi, who had raised his fists at the group of friends. "Nazumi, let it go. You can't fight us all. And you know that this was how it had to end. Azula's coming with us."

Nazumi bristled. "I can take you," he said, coolly. His voice had a tone Azula had never heard before, one that seemed out of place coming from him. It was harsh, angry. She didn't like it.

"Nazumi, don't be ridiculous! You're hurt! This has to stop!" She had to end this quickly. Even in peak condition, she knew he wasn't a match for even one of them. And as it was, he looked like he was about to fall over.

"Get out of here," he said, never taking his eyes off of Zuko and the others. "I mean it. I'll meet you... I'll meet you where I grew up."

Suddenly, Toph made a slight gesture, and Nazumi's feet were encased in stone. "Sorry, Sir Squeaks-a-Lot. It's over."

Nazumi looked down. Realizing he was trapped, he began to struggle violently, trying in vain to tear his feet free.

Instinctively, Azula scanned her environment, battle senses honed from years of training taking over. It wouldn't be easy. With Nazumi immobilized, it would four of them against her one. But they were tired, and despite her ordeal in the Spirit World she was physically fresh. And this was a fight she had played out in her head hundreds of times over the last few months, in every permutation. She had assumed that, when the moment arrived, she would have to face the Avatar as well, but he was nowhere to be found. No, it wouldn't be easy...

But it could be done. She would have to make the first move, and quickly, in order to take them by surprise. The Earthbender girl was their most experienced fighter, so she would have to be taken out first. Azula knew that the blind Toph "saw" with her bare feet. Superheating the stone floor should remove her from the fight before it even began; Azula could then finish her off once the others were dealt with. Katara would be next. She would likely open up with a blast of water from the canteen at her side. But as powerful as Katara had become, Azula knew she was faster. A blast of flame would turn the water into steam, cooking Katara where she stood. If Katara was very lucky, she might even survive.

That left Sokka and Zuko. Unlike most benders, Azula knew better than to underestimate a non-bender trained in combat. But the cavern system that they were in was an enclosed space, with little room to maneuver. The perfect arena for which a Firebender to face a swordsman. And his sword would act as a lightning rod; she should be able to put him down in short order. At this point, even in his fatigued state, Zuko would have recovered from the shock of her initial attack. But he would likely be distracted by the defeat of his three friends. And while Zuko's skills may have grown, she knew she was more than his match.

Her revenge would be complete. After she dealt with them, she would free Nazumi and make her way back to the Fire Nation before the Avatar realized what had happened. By the time he did, she would be ready for him. One man, no matter how powerful, against her and the combined military might of her homeland...

And just as quickly as she had formulated her plan of attack, she set it aside. It had been an intellectual exercise, and the last death throe of her former self. Whatever the future held for her, she knew she couldn't go back to being that person any more. Nazumi had shown her that in the Spirit World, and she had proven it to herself during her fight with Koh. It was enough to know that if she had wanted to, she could have done it. She nodded to herself. _And they'll never know how close they came. They'll never know they owe their lives to a no-name thief from the Lower Ring._

"Zuko!" she shouted. They all turned to her, even Nazumi, though he continued to tug at his feet.

Zuko looked at his sister wearily, expecting a trick. "Yes, Azula?"

Azula stepped forward. Her long hair hung wildly in back of her, and her ceremonial white robe was all but shredded, but she was as commanding as the ruler she had always thought she wanted to be. She gestured at Nazumi. "Fire Lord Zuko. If I surrender peacefully... do you promise not to hurt him?" She looked at her brother, hoping that Koh had lied about him, that he hadn't changed over the last year, that he hadn't become as cruel as the previous Fire Lord. Or as her.

Zuko appeared stunned. He didn't know what surprised him more: that Azula was surrendering without a fight, that she was doing it to protect someone else, or that she thought so little of him that she assumed he would want to hurt her friend. For the hundredth time since their Agni Kai, he realized just how far apart he and his sister had grown. _She doesn't see me as a brother. She sees me as an enemy. And it isn't the madness talking. This is what she believes. _Putting these uneasy thoughts aside, he cleared his throat. "Azula, no one's getting hurt tonight. Please, let's just go home."

Nazumi snarled at him. "You don't want to take her home, Zuko! You want to throw her right back in prison! Well, you not going to, you-"

Azula closed her eyes, listening to Nazumi spout obscenities at Zuko. _He really would try to fight them all. He's so stubborn. They may forgive him for his role in this, allow him to disappear back into the Lower Ring... but the conqueror of Ba Sing Se? The agent of Koh? No, they'll never forgive me. Besides, he's used up more than his share of luck making it this far. It's better this way._

Azula turned to face the trapped Nazumi, and silenced him with a finger on his lips. She leaned in close, so that only he could hear what she was saying. "Nazumi, they're right. It's over."

Nazumi ceased his struggling momentarily. "Don't do it. I can get us out of this."

She looked at him with curiosity, amazed that he could be so insightful about her, yet so ignorant about himself. "Can you? I'll ask you what you asked me, in the Spirit World: then what?"

Her question threw him, and he narrowed his eyes, as if he realized he was walking into a trap. "What do you mean?"

"What will you do afterwards? Let's assume we do get away. What will we do then? They'll never stop coming after me, you know that. You'll have to kill them. Are you even capable of that? I don't think so. At least, I hope not."

She watched his face intently, but she already knew what his answer would be. He was no killer. Facing the ground, he shook his head. "No. I'm not. I... I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." She smiled at him sadly. "We've had quite a journey together. I owe you a lot, more than you know. But I can't keep running from my past. And I don't want to fight anymore."

He crossed his arms, staring past her down the tunnel that led to the surface, his breath coming out in heavy jets. She could see the gears of his minds turning, turning, looking for a way out, and for the first time in his life finding none. Eventually, he looked back at her. "But... it's not _fair."_

Azula stroked his cheek gently. "Fair's got nothing to do with it, Nazumi."

He frowned, still trying to come up with a plan. "Fine. I'll surrender too. We'll go to jail together. I'll-"

"No," she said, softly but firmly. "Where I'm going, you can't follow. It's too dangerous."

Nazumi simply glared at her.

Azula sighed. It was just like when they had been captured by Fen Long and Paiko. How could she make him see? She briefly considered trying to manipulate him again; telling him she didn't want to be associated with a Lower Ring peasant, or some other lie. But she dismissed that notion. They had been through too much together. The truth would have to suffice. "Nazumi… when I was in the Spirit World, when Koh told me you were dead… I wanted to be dead, too. I won't let you get hurt because of me."

When Nazumi replied, his voice was in little more than a whisper. "They'll lock you up again. For good, this time."

Azula nodded. "Maybe they will. But you'll get away. You always do. And as long as you're free… I will be, too."

She leaned in quickly, with a speed that took even him by surprise, and kissed him deeply, holding it for as long as she dared. Then, just as abruptly, she stepped away, leaving him rooted to the ground. She backed away from him, and then turned to Zuko with her head bowed. "Fire Lord, you have my surrender."

Zuko winced. If this was a victory, it was a hollow one. The part of him that was Fire Lord had had known what he would find when he came here, had known that Azula would have sided with Koh. But the part of him that was Zuko, brother of Azula, had been desperate to be proven wrong. That part of him wished he had lost his Agni Kai with her; having his sister back would be worth the cost of the crown, a thousand times over. But it wasn't his choice to make.

Katara turned to Nazumi. She was tired of fighting as well. "Well, Nazumi? What's it going to be?"

Nazumi stared at them, his face a mask of anger. Despite his rough upbringing, he had never really hated anyone before, not the Fire Nation army that had killed his parents, nor his tormentors at the orphanage, nor the City Watch that had hounded him his entire life. But at this moment, he _hated_ these heroes in front of him, hated them with a passion that frightened him. They had everything he had ever wanted in life, and now they were taking her away...

Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out the two Pai Sho tiles that Iroh had given him, as well as a small gray marble. He tossed the tiles to Azula, who caught them in midair. "Azula. Give those back to your Uncle for me. Tell him... tell him he was right about them. They do make a good team. And that no payment is necessary."

She looked down at the tiles, and recognized them for what they were. _The Princess and the Thief. Clever. And he got them from Iroh... Uncle, what games are you playing? _

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Nazumi threw the marble down on the floor. There was a deafening crash, and thick, black smoke filled the area where they were standing. In the tight quarters of the cave network, it took several minutes for the smoke to clear. When it did, the friends looked to where Nazumi had been standing... and saw, encased in stone, the thief's empty boots. Nazumi was gone.

Sokka whistled softly through his lips. "He's smooth, I'll give him that. Toph, can you hear where he went?"

"WHAT?," she shouted back. "ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? I CAN"T HEAR ANYTHING! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!?"

Zuko looked at Azula. "How did-"

Azula glanced at her brother with a mocking expression on her face. "Don't look so surprised, Zuzu. He's Nazumi the Mouse, the greatest thief in Ba Sing Se. Did you honestly expect your flunkies", she gestured at Toph and the others, "would be able to catch him?"

Turning away from him before he could she how superficial her amusement really was, Azula began to head for the surface, not waiting for her captors' response. She needed to be away from here. The caves suddenly felt like a tomb, a place fit only for dead things. And for better or worse, she was still alive.

* * *

They rode back to the city in silence, carried on Appa's broad back. There had been a brief discussion on whether they should restrain Azula, but in the end, it had seemed pointless. After all, she had surrendered willingly, and the fight seemed to have gone out of her, at least for now. Zuko looked at his sister as she held her head up high in the crisp dawn air, seemingly oblivious to the cold, the wind whipping through her long hair. She didn't look like someone who had just been defeated. _There's something different about her. Then again, if she was willing to side with Koh, I guess I never really knew her at all. Not in any way that counts._

Azula looked down as the countryside sped beneath her. She had traveled by airship hundreds of times, but this was the first time she realized how wonderful an experience it was. To not think about where she was going or what she would do when she got there. To just enjoy the view.

For the first time in her life, her path was completely uncharted. She had managed to break with her destiny. The future lay spread out before her, like some mysterious, exotic land. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. Everything felt different, now, even the air that she breathed. She thought back to her balloon ride with Nazumi, during their flight from the Fire nation, so many months ago. Something he had said about how good it felt, to head into the horizon with the wind at your back… to escape. And even though she was returning to Ba Sing Se a prisoner, she had never felt freer in her entire life. No longer a debtor to her past or a slave to her future.

"He was right," she murmured absent-mindedly. "It _does_ feel good."

Hearing her, Katara nearly jumped, startled by the princess's unprovoked comment. Unsure of what their captor was talking about, she almost believed for a moment that Azula had once again lost her mind in defeat. She looked at her cautiously. "What was that?"

But Azula just gave her a mysterious smile, and turned back to face the rising sun.

* * *

As they landed in the courtyard of the Jasmine Dragon, Zuko saw that Iroh, Aang and the others had come out to meet them. Appa touched down gently, and Azula gracefully sprang from his back. She absentmindedly stroked Appa's ears, and he grunted in contentment. Looking around at her audience, she remembered Koh's warning about what would happen if she refused his help, about how she would be paraded before the entire world to see, the renegade princess captured at last. Grimacing slightly, she steeled herself for the inevitable humiliation. It would be bad enough in front of total strangers, but Iroh and Zuko were family, and Ty Lee and Mai as good as. She could see why her former madness had been a blessing in disguise, during her previous period of incarceration. _And they've all come out to greet me. They've come to see their prize. _

But now that they had her, no one seemed to know what to do with her. She had almost expected to be mobbed by guards and led off in chains. Instead, she simply watched as her captors reunited with their respective significant others, reinforcing her sense of isolation. Only Iroh and Ty Lee remained apart from the embracing couples, the old general watching her with an inscrutable expression, and her former friend with tears streaming down her face.

She remembered Nazumi's request of her, and saw no reason to delay fulfilling it. She walked over to Iroh, as uncertain of how to act around him as when she was a child. "Hello, Uncle. I realize the circumstances of our meeting are regrettable, but... it is still good to see you."

Iroh did not return her greeting, still staring at Azula, seemingly searching her for some hidden meaning.

Azula continued. "I understand you may be feeling angry and disappointed in my recent behavior. In my not-so-recent behavior, as well. You... have my apologies. It was never my intention to dishonor you."

Still, Iroh said nothing, as immobile as the mountains they had just return from.

Azula sighed. She had expected accusation, anger, even disappointment, but not silence. It was just as when she was a little girl, with Iroh holding her at arm's length. The man had always been an enigma to her. She reached into an inner pocket of her robe, and withdrew the Pai Sho tiles that Iroh had given to Nazumi, and that Nazumi had asked her to return. The Princess and the Thief.

"My... that is to say, my friend," she said, unsure of herself, "asked me to return these to you. He also asked me to tell you that you were right about them. That they make a good team. And to tell you that he won't be requiring any payment. I suppose this has some meaning to you."

Iroh's eye twitched slightly. That was all.

Azula put her hand to her head. Why couldn't he yell at her? Scream at her? It would have been easier. But she wasn't even worthy of that. She sighed. "Uncle, I... I know how things must seem. I wish things had been different, between you and I. I wish... Well. I'll trouble you no more. If-''

Suddenly, Iroh sprang forward with a speed that belied his years. He enveloped Azula in his strong arms, and brought her close to him in an embrace. Against her cheek, she could feel tears. Iroh's tears.

"I'll be damned. I'll be damned," she heard Iroh whispering, more to himself then to her. Azula felt an odd moment of panic. This was an even more unexpected reaction that the silence she had been greeted with. One for which she had no response.

But Iroh didn't seem to need one. She felt a heaviness build in her chest, one that had been growing for years, one that she could no longer bury. Slowly, achingly, it worked its way up to her head. "Uncle, I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" The two of them stood there, repeating themselves, oblivious to the attention began to draw from the others.

Eventually, Iroh let Azula go, and looked down at the tiles still clenched in her hand.

He took them, and they seemed tiny in his large, rough hands. "The little rascal. He actually did it. Where is he?"

Azula blinked. "He's… he's gone, Uncle. I sent him away. I was afraid of what would happen to him if he came back here."

Iroh looked surprised. "Afraid? Why would you be afraid? He was working for... never mind, never mind. I'll find him later. I'm so proud of you, my niece. I can't begin to tell you how proud."

Zuko cleared his throat gently. "Uncle, I'm sorry. I don't know how to say this, but Azula was helping Koh."

Iroh seemed not to hear him, leaving it to Aang to reply. "No, Zuko. She fought with me _against_ Koh. She saved my life. She saved _all_ our lives." He looked at Azula and nodded his head.

Katara looked at Aang in bewilderment. "What do you-"

But she was cut off by Ty Lee, who pushed her aside and threw her arms around Azula, bawling. "Azula! You're OK! We thought you were dead! I'm so sorry about what-"

Azula felt another lump form in her chest, as she struggled under Ty Lee's arms. She murmured in Ty Lee's ear. "No, Ty. _I'm_ sorry. You and Mai were trying to save me from myself. I guess... I guess it's something my friends seem to have to do from time to time." Looking over Ty Lee's shoulder, she caught Mai's gaze, knowing that she had heard the apology as well. Mai's brow was furrowed, and she was biting her lip, as much emotion as she was willing to show in front of so many people.

Katara shook her head. "Aang, you're wrong. We were _there._ She tried to kill us. She even tried to kill Nazumi. I don't know what you saw, but we can't trust her."

"I was there too, Katara." Aang explained. "Azula turned on Koh. I'm telling you, she saved my life. She made me leave her behind in the Spirit World, said she'd keep Koh from entering our world even if it cost her life. We thought she was dead, until you showed up." He looked over to Azula. "What happened?"

Azula let go of Ty Lee. How could she explain her actions, in that strange place? And did she even want to? No, it was between her and Nazumi. Let them wonder. "Koh underestimated me," she said, simply and directly.

Toph held up her hands in protest, unsatisfied with Azula's pat answer. "I hate to put a stop to this love fest, but she's hardly one of the good guys. When we fought her in the mountains, she was already possessed by Koh." The blind Earthbender turned her head towards Azula. "What did he promise you, Princess? To make you Fire Lord? Or our heads on a platter?"

Azula's scowled at Toph. "Power beyond my wildest dreams. Obviously, it wasn't enough. Does that satisfy you, you little pest? If it had been you in my place, and he had offered you your sight, wouldn't you have at least considered it? And as for your head, if I wanted it I would take it for myself."

Before Toph could reply with a display of earthbending, Zuko restrained her, then looked accusingly at Azula. "Why didn't you tell me this? Back in the mountains?"

Azula paused. "It never occurred to me, Zuzu. And honestly, would you have believed me anyway?"

Zuko's face went dark, and Azula almost regretted her words. Almost. She became aware that everyone was staring at her. They had been searching for her for so long, the dreaded Azula. Now she was here, in the flesh. Not knowing what else to do, she smoothed out her tattered robe. "Well?" she asked. "What are you all looking at?"

She needed to distance herself from the others. Instead of seeing her as a threat, she was now a curiosity. She needed time to think. Alone. She turned back to Iroh, and gestured to her own disheveled state. "Uncle, if it isn't an imposition, is there anywhere I could get cleaned up?"

Iroh nodded, still overcome with emotion. "Yes, yes of course. I'll show you inside."

Zuko put a hand on her shoulder. "Wait, Azula. I still have some questions for you."

His touch seemed to reignite something in her, and she swatted his hand aside. "Step aside, _Fire Lord_," she said with a slight sneer. "I've just spent the last few months escaping your prisons, fleeing your territories, and evading your lapdogs." As she said this, she gestured to Katara, Toph and Sokka. "And on top of all that, I've just defeated a spirit of unimaginable evil. So I don't think I'm being unreasonable to believe that I've earned a hot bath. You can ask your questions later."

She looked around her, expecting to be challenged. But she wasn't the only one tired of fighting, or else her words had convinced them. Iroh came up beside her and, gently offering her his arm, led her inside, away from the harsh morning light.

* * *

Azula exited the steam room and tied her robe tightly around her. She felt clean for the first time in months. She went into the room that Iroh had prepared for her, and changed into the clothing that he had laid out for her. By the looks of them, they belonged to one of the wait staff that worked at the Jasmine Dragon. She got dressed, and over walked to the window that overlooked the small garden outside. Her room was small, neat, and functional, pared down to just the essentials, just like her clothing. The girl she was before would have chafed at the simplicity of her garments and surroundings, but the woman she was now found them perfect. Resting her head in her hands, she took in the view. She knew her body was exhausted, knew she should be getting some well-earned sleep. But she found she was filled with a nervous energy, as if she had just set off on a long journey, her destination unknown and her outcome uncertain.

"Azula, we need to talk."

Without turning, Azula answered her brother. "Fire Lord or no, this is my room. I'll ask that you knock next time."

Zuko came up beside her. "I'm sorry if I startled you," he said softly.

"You didn't. I've been startled by the best. What do you want, Zuko?" Azula looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He had also taken the time to clean himself up, and was wearing fresh clothing. She was somewhat relieved to see that he eschewed the standard flashy garb of a head of state. The ring on his right hand, the royal seal of the Fire nation, was all he wore that signified his status. It was all that was necessary.

Zuko sighed. She was going to make this difficult, but that was nothing new. "We haven't really spoken since... since the Agni Kai. I went to visit you in the hospital, afterwards, but you weren't in your right mind." Ignoring her grimace, he continued. "Aang told me everything about what happened. I'm sorry that I doubted you. I hate to think of you facing Koh on your own. How do you feel?"

The mention of the Agni Kai brought a familiar shame bubbling up to the surface of her mind. Shame at losing control of her senses, shame at what she had become under the pressures of being Fire Lord... and shame at being beaten by Katara and her brother. She still had her pride, after all. "I've nothing to say to you, Zuko. One day we may forgive each other for what we've done in the past, but neither of us will ever forget."

Zuko stiffened. "That's not fair. During the war, you were the one who was trying to kill me."

Despite herself, Azula felt her lip curl. "As you said, I wasn't in my right mind. What was your excuse?"

"What do you-"

She whirled on him, pointed a finger into his chest. "You betrayed your country, Zuko. What's worse, you betrayed your _family!_ Say what you will about Ozai. He's still our _father_, despite what you may wish. He deserved better than to have his family turn on him. _I _deserved better. I needed your _help_. And instead, you ran off and left me alone, and at my lowest moment you bring an _outsider_... into our _home_... and challenge me to an Agni Kai!"

Zuko was stunned, partly at her outburst, partly at her frank admission that she had needed his help. But his compassion had its limits. "What should I have done, Azula? Let Father conquer the world? He was _wrong_. Even assuming he had been able to defeat Aang, how long do you think his house of cards would have lasted? It would have destroyed the Fire Nation, from the inside out! And you! You were a danger, to yourself and everyone around you! I had to stop you!"

Azula felt herself getting angrier, incensed by the offhand reference to her temporary insanity. "You could have treated me like I was your _sister!_ Instead, you and your filthy friends attacked me! Tell me, Zuko, did it feel good to see me in chains?"

"I had to have you committed after the war. You were sick. I thought they would be able to help you."

_Committed._ The world itself was disgraceful. "You mean, I was an embarrassment to the family. To _you._ I was a hindrance to your orderly succession. So you had me locked away, out of sight."

Zuko said nothing, and looked out on the horizon. He had had this argument with himself many times over the last year, when he was alone with his guilt. Knowing he had done the right thing was of no help. "Is that what you think happened? Is that what you think of me? That I was ashamed of you?"

Azula turned away from the window and sat down on the bed, cradling her head in her hands. "Blast it, Zuko, of course I don't think that! You asked me how I felt, not what I thought!"

She exhaled slowly. This was doing neither of them any good. What was past, was past. She knew, objectively, that Zuko had done the correct thing in challenging their father, in challenging her. It had been the best thing for the world, and ultimately for their family. But that didn't lessen the sting of betrayal, whether it was justified or not. Nothing would, except perhaps time. "Brother," she said, slowly and carefully, "I'll tell you this once. I understand why you did what did. But that doesn't change the fact that whenever I see you... I want to bash your face in. I know that's wrong, but that's how I feel."

Zuko let the full weight of her words sink in. He sat down next to her on the bed. "Well, at least you're being honest."

She laughed bitterly. "Yes, we should have done this years ago."

"I'll accept that for now. But you need to come back home."

"No," she said, the word escaping her lips almost reflexively. "I love our country. I've fought for it, and I've killed for it. I've been willing to die for it. But it's not enough anymore. I need to find a new way. And I'm trying, Zuko. But I can't do that around you. And I can't do it back home."

"That's non-negotiable, Azula. I won't send you to prison. I give you my word on that. I know you were following father's orders. Anyway, there isn't a member of our family, myself included, who doesn't shoulder some of the blame for the war. I know that. But there has to be a reckoning for your actions. The world has to see that you've accepted responsibility for what you've done. That's a small price to pay."

"I am paying, Zuko. I'm paying more than you'll ever know." The words came out as barely a whisper, torn from the depths of her heart.

"Why? Because you're not the Fire Lord?"

_Could he really be that dense? Of course he could; he's my brother. "_I don't want your damn throne, Zuko! It's nothing but a gilded cage, I know that now. In a few years, you may wish it was me who won our Agni Kai. But I don't owe the world an apology, or anything else. That was settled in the mountains. Tonight I've paid all debts."

Zuko paused. "It's not like you have many alternatives. Where else will you go? You're just as much a fugitive in the Earth Kingdom as you are in the Fire Nation."

It was a valid point. There probably wasn't a village, town or city in the whole world that hadn't heard of Azula, the right hand of Ozai, the scourge of Ba Sing Se. Still, going home was not an option. In fact, she felt like she had no home to go to. When she fled the Fire Nation as a fugitive, the bond between her and the land of her birth had been damaged, if not severed completely. "What happens to me next is of no concern to you, Fire Lord. Go back home to your kingdom. Enjoy your crown."

"And if I order you to come home? As Fire Lord? You're not just my sister, you're also my subject."

She couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. "Brother, look around us. We're not in the Fire Nation. You have no authority over me here. But if you insist, then I renounce my title and my citizenship. That should let you know how serious I am. Does that satisfy you?"

"Azula, be realistic. This is for your own good. Home is the safest place for you. There are plenty of people who would like nothing better than to hurt you... or to hurt me through you."

"Your concern is touching, Zuko. But let these mysterious assailants come. I'll put them in the ground one by one. I'm not the broken girl you remember from the war's end. I know what I'm capable of. I hope you do, too." She looked at him coldly, and he almost shuddered. The Azula he remembered could be vicious, but her acts of violence were always motivated by her relentless pursuit of power, or her desire to control others. Now his sister seemed overwhelmingly indifferent, to possessions, to people... to her very survival. Somehow, it made her seem even more dangerous.

"And if _I_ make you come back?" he asked quietly.

"Agni Kai, brother?" The words escaped her lips and hung in the air like an evil ghost from their past, one neither one of them wanted to face. Azula cursed herself for saying it, and Zuko for backing her into this corner. She disliked Zuko, maybe even hated him, but she did not want to hurt him, not anymore. She had rejected Koh partly out of a desire to avoid having to do so. Was this the spirit's revenge, then, to bring about this turn of events? Or had it always been inevitable? Were they destined to try and kill each other, no matter what choices they made?

Zuko shook his head, firmly. "No. Never again."

Azula let out a small sigh. "At least we can agree on one thing."

Zuko frowned. This hadn't gone the way he had wanted it to. But that was how it always went between them. He would start out with the best of intentions, and before he knew it they were at each other's throats. "Is it so hard for you to believe that I actually love you, and want what's best for you? Don't you realize how reckless you're being?"

"Zuko, I've nothing left to lose." She looked at him, with her dazzling eyes, the ones their mother had always been so proud of. For a moment, a brief moment, he saw his baby sister again, the little girl he would have done anything to protect. And then, like a cloud of smoke, she was gone, forever. Only time would tell the nature of the woman who had taken her place.

He rubbed his chin. Her mind was made up. But he wouldn't let either of them off the hook that easily; she had responsibilities, and so did he. As he headed for the door, he turned to her. "Yes, you do. I reject your abdication of your citizenship and title. You'll remain Crown Princess... on _my _orders. And when you choose to... _if_ you choose to... you'll always have a home in the Fire Nation."

He exited the room, leaving her to her thoughts. Her exile was over.

**Next: Loser of the Year**


	22. Chapter 22: Loser of the Year

**Author's Note: For the last few chapters, I've had a guilty conscience. Part of the problem with writing a story where the main protagonists are the "bad guys" is that the "good guys" tend to come off as jerks, especially since they aren't privy to some of the good things that the "bad guys" are doing (whew! say that five times fast.) It's not really fair, since the good guys are technically doing the right thing; after all, for much of the story Azula WAS trying to figure out a way to kill and/or imprison them, just like she had done all along :) But I really like the Gaang, so in part, the next two chapters are a bit of an apology to them. While the title of the chapter refers to my favorite punching bag Nazumi, it's really Katara's chapter, which was something I didn't realize until I had finished it. ****Thanks to netbreaker0 for pointing out to me the strange similarities between Azula and Katara.  
**

**This is the second-to-last chapter, if you like it please check back soon for the grand finale!**

**Previously: Things have turned around for Princess Azula. In light of her role in defeating Koh, she has entered into a temporary truce with the Avatar and his friends, and her criminal record has been wiped clean. It looks like she may have finally escaped the shadows of her past. But freedom can be a lonely thing, and her loyal friend Nazumi is nowhere to be found…**

**Chapter 22: Loser of the Year**

Feeling the sunlight on her face, Katara stretched out like a cat, and then reluctantly sat up in bed. It had been three days since they had returned from the Devil's Breath, and she still felt like she hadn't recuperated. Most of that time had been spent convincing King Kuei and the rest of the Earth Kingdom government that the crisis had, in fact, already passed. Plans were quickly made to ensure that such a near-catastrophe could never happen again. Toph and Aang, and a handful of powerful Earthbenders, had gone back into the mountains yesterday to seal off the cavern where the barrier to the Spirit World was weak. It would be buried under so much rock that for all practical purposes, it would never be found. Koh would never again be able to use this particular gateway to try and enter the Natural World.

The King had also been up in arms, in a most literal sense, about the fact that the infamous Azula, the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se, was not only within the city walls, but had actually colluded with the demonic Koh. However, Aang, Iroh and Zuko had lobbied tirelessly on her behalf, convincing King Kuei that not only had she been a victim of Koh's agents, but that she had been instrumental in defeating the malignant spirit and saving the city. It had been an uphill battle, but in the end its result was inevitable. Not only was Aang the Avatar, but he was considered the savior of the Earth Kingdom, and rightly so, for his role in defeating Ozai during the war. And Iroh was a man of no small stature in the Earth King's eyes. Not only had the old general been directly responsible for liberating Ba Sing Se from the grip of the Fire Nation, but his tea shop was a nexus for the city's most powerful citizens. Finally, Zuko had earned King Kuei's trust since he had assumed the title of Fire Lord by dismantling the Fire Nation war machine. Between the three of them, as well as some questionable concessions made by Zuko regarding trade agreements between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, a pardon for Azula had been secured.

For once, Katara found herself at odds with Aang. Despite what he had told her regarding Azula's actions against Koh, she couldn't bring herself to trust the princess, much less forgive her for her actions during the war. She didn't believe Azula had truly changed. Deep down, she was still the same girl who had shot Aang in the back during the war. Azula hadn't even seemed grateful to learn of her pardon. In fact, she had barely acknowledged it, as if it were beneath her notice. Instead, she spent her days and nights on her own, sitting in Iroh's garden, her reverie only broken by visits from Ty Lee and Mai. Even these interactions were one-sided, with Azula listening patiently to whatever was being said to her, but never contributing more than a few words. It was as if, having saved the world, she had decided to withdraw from it. And even if Azula had changed, as her grandmother would say, 'a friendly snake is still an unwelcome guest.' Katara would honor the pardon granted to Azula, but the two would never be anything but enemies.

So it was with both surprise and anger, and not a small amount of fear, that Katara looked to her left and saw none other than Azula herself, sitting on the windowsill of her room at the Jasmine Dragon, staring at her with an expression of detached curiosity. The princess had apparently recovered from her ordeal in the mountains over the last few days. She had lost the look of one who had been hunted halfway around the world, and also the one of cruel arrogance she had perfected during the war.

Katara sprang out of bed and looked around her for a source of water, anything to use in case Azula's 'reformation' proved to be premature. "Azula? What are you doing here?"

The princess kept staring at her, her odd expression unchanged, as if she were seeing Katara for the first time. But instead of answering the question posed at her, she instead said something that surprised Katara. "Ty Lee told me that you reminded her of me."

The statement was so absurd, it served to distract Katara from her thoughts of an imminent battle. "That's ridiculous," she scoffed. "Ty Lee's got quite an imagination."

"I know, that what I told her," Azula agreed, with a look that suggested her and Katara were sharing some private joke. "I mean, I grew up as royalty, and you're a commoner. I was the firebending prodigy, and when I met you, you could barely blow bubbles."

Katara grimaced. Even after all that everyone had done for her, Azula was as intolerable as ever. Well, this time she wouldn't have to put up with it. Azula may have been pardoned, but she was hardly in a position of power. "Right. You can leave now, Princess."

Azula ignored her, and continued on, her face still holding a trace of amusement. "But I had a lot of time to think while I was in prison. I thought about you, quite a bit, in fact. After all, you were the reason I was locked up in the first place."

"Aang would've defeated you, even if I didn't." Out of the corner of her eye, Katara spotted a washing bowl half-filled with water sitting on the dresser at the far corner of the room. She slowly inched her way towards it._ Is this the prelude to an attack after all? _

Azula looked at Katara, then at the bowl of water, and back to her once more. She shrugged, as if to say she understood Katara's caution, even though it was unwarranted. "And even though she barely knew anything about you when she made that comment, I began to think that maybe Ty Lee was right. Neither of us grew up with mothers. Your father left you to go fight a war, and… in many ways, mine did too. We both have brothers who are insufferable."

Azula's implication stopped Katara dead in her tracks. "We're nothing alike," she said firmly.

Azula cocked her head, and then nodded. "No… No, I suppose you're right."

By now, Katara was becoming quite irritated. It was too early in the day to verbally spar with someone who until recently had been her greatest foe. "I asked you a question, Azula. What do you want?"

Suddenly, Azula's cool demeanor showed a crack. She bit her lower lip, and got off the windowsill, turning away from Katara and looking out onto the courtyard below. For the first time since they had captured her, and in fact for the first time since Katara had known her, Azula sounded desperate. "I need your help, Katara."

Of all the things Azula could have said, those five words were the last Katara would have expected to come out of her mouth. She thought back to Nazumi's similar request, when he had show up at Iroh's, out of the blue and in dire need of help. "What did you just say?" she asked, her voice incredulous.

"I know it sounds ridiculous. It _is_ ridiculous. I've never given you any reason to want to help me, but I'm asking anyway. Please."

That last word, _please_, was enough to pique Katara's curiosity. She would throw Azula out of her room in a minute. For now, she wanted to know what could wring such a request from her. "What do you want?"

Azula paused, and Katara could see her nervously running her finger along the grain of the windowsill. Just when she thought that Azula had changed her mind, she spoke. "It's... It's Nazumi. I expected him to try to break in here to find me, but he hasn't shown up, and… I don't know. It isn't like him to give up so easily. I'm afraid he's hurt worse than he let on."

In spite of her better nature, Katara smirked. She had learned a few things about sarcasm from Toph. "Who knows, Azula? Maybe he's tired of you. After all, you did try to kill him."

Azula spun around, her eyes blazing, but just as quickly as her temper had flared up, it crashed back down, collapsing under its own weight. Her face pale, the princess's face was lined with guilt, a quality that Katara had thought Azula was incapable of feeling. She knew Azula had claimed to have no memory of her actions during Koh's possession of her. Ty Lee had later told the others that when she spoke with Azula what she had done, it had been the only time since their return from the mountains that the princess had shown any emotion. But Katara had assumed that Azula was either lying about not remembering what had transpired, in an attempt to avoid any blame, or else hadn't really cared about it. Now, for the first time, Katara noted the rings underneath Azula's eyes, and wondered if she had slept at all since her battle with Koh.

Katara thought back again to Nazumi's erratic behavior the first night she had met him. It was clear that he had been infatuated with the princess, but Katara had chalked that up to Azula's abundant ability to manipulate others. She had never considered for a moment that the affection was mutual. Even after seeing Azula's final conversation with Nazumi, Katara had believed that Azula was simply discarding a tool that was no longer useful to her. Now, she wasn't so sure. "You... you really like him, don't you?"

Azula pulled back, like a wild animal that was caught in a snare. Then, she subsided, as if to acknowledge the power that Katara, armed with this piece of information, now held over her. "Yes," she said, softly, the answer almost having to be wrenched from her mouth.

"And you're worried about him?"

"Yes." Now her voice was no more than a whisper.

Katara sighed heavily, and put her hand to her forehead. Part of her couldn't help but suspect a trick, although she couldn't begin to imagine to what purpose it would serve. But in her heart, she knew that Azula was being truthful. The princess looked despondent, a condition made even more obvious by the fact that she had come to Katara, of all people, for help. _What is she thinking? That since she's got everyone else fooled, she can just walk in here and expect me to solve her problems? I'm ending this, now._

But instead, Katara sat back down on her bed. "Azula, he's probably skipped town by now. Things didn't end well for him, back in the mountains."

"No! You don't know him like I do." Azula nearly sprang at Katara, coming to rest at the foot of the bed. "You don't know how stubborn he is."

"I can imagine. You should have seen him when he showed up here. First, he convinces us to take him along with us. Then, he jumps off of Appa in mid-air so he can reach you before us." Katara smiled at the memory, despite the awkwardness of the situation. _Nazumi was stubborn, all right. So stubborn he almost broke his neck._

Azula latched onto Katara's words as an affirmation of her fears, and roughly grabbed her hands. "You see! That's exactly the kind of stupid stunt he loves to pull! That's why I'm worried! Because he hasn't tried anything like that now!"

Katara delicately freed her hands from Azula's tight grasp. "Azula, even if you're right, I have no idea where he is. Ba Sing Se is a big place, and he's obviously pretty good at hiding when he doesn't want to be found."

But sensing the merest hint of acquiescence from Katara had invigorated Azula, and she took hold of her shoulders in her fatigue-induced fervor. "No! I know where he is! He took me there, once. All I want you to do is go there and heal him, that's all. That's why it has to be you."

Katara couldn't believe she was even entertaining the thought of helping Azula, of all people. It went beyond ludicrous. And still... she had never known Azula to care about anyone or anything but herself before. And she could imagine how hard it was for her to come and ask her most hated enemy, and a peasant to boot, for help. Besides, she wouldn't just be helping Azula. _Nazumi may be a bit crooked, but he meant well. And he was badly hurt that night. He probably needs a healer. I had meant to try and find him anyway, but things got so busy I lost track of time. It'll only take a few hours, and... Damn it, Katara. Toph's right. You are a soft touch_.

Katara sighed again. A moment ago, she had been ready to fight Azula. Now, she was about to help her. Instead of being surprised by her own sudden change of heart, she was more startled by the realization that nothing and no one in life was ever truly black and white. "Why don't you come with me?"

Azula's enthusiasm suddenly seemed dampened. "No. I can't."

Hearing this, Katara felt like she was at the end of her rope. After all this, Azula expected her to go off running her errands for her. "Why not? The high and mighty princess can't be bothered to go after a lowly commoner?"

The angry Azula of old suddenly blazed forth, as if she had never left. "No, you idiot! It's _because_ I care about him that I can't go!"

Azula got up and began to pace the room, slowly at first, but then more rapidly. "In case you haven't noticed, Katara, I'm not the most popular person in the world right now. Even if my pig-headed brother and the Earth King have magnanimously decided to pardon me_,_"_ s_he said, her voice tinged with sarcasm, "there are plenty of people still willing to take a shot at me. And Koh is still out there. I'm sure he won't forgive what I did to him. Being by my side isn't exactly the safest place to be."

Katara slapped her head, everything falling into place. "And that's why you sent him away..."

Azula stopped her pacing, coming to a rest in front of Katara. "In the months that I've known Nazumi, I've almost gotten him killed three times, the last time by my own hand, apparently. You said yesterday that you didn't trust me. Well, you were right. I don't trust _myself._ Sooner or later, I hurt everyone who gets close to me. Don't you see? He's not like me, Katara. He doesn't deserve that. There are limits, even to my cruelty."

Katara shook her head. She was starting to wonder if maybe the real Azula had died Spirit World, only to be replaced by this doppelganger that, unlike the original, actually had human emotions. "Nazumi doesn't seem to be a stranger to taking risks. I didn't think you were, either. You know he loves you, don't you?"

"Maybe. But he won't die of a broken heart."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

Azula sucked in her breath through her teeth. "That... was unnecessary."

Katara nodded. The words had escaped her mouth before she could stop them. "You're right. I apologize."

Azula paused, and then returned to her seat at the window. She rubbed her tired eyes with her hands. "Ty Lee was wrong. We're nothing alike. Our similarities are all superficial. I always do what's best for myself. I always have, and I always will. And you… you always do the right thing, no matter what it costs you."

"You did the right thing by helping Aang."

Azula shook her head roughly. "Don't ascribe motivations to me that aren't mine. I didn't want to live as Koh's slave. Working with Aang was the lesser of two evils."

"And sending Nazumi away? Didn't that cost you?"

Azula slashed the air in front of her, cutting down any further discussion. "Katara, I may not know what I am, but I know what I'm not. I'll never be like you."

"Now you're the one who's being ridiculous."

"Think what you like. But please do this. If not for me, then for him. You can name your price."

Katara slowly stood up. It was going to be a long day. "I'll do it. And you can forget about owing me anything, because I'm not doing it for you."

Azula nodded. "As you wish."

"He'll ask about you. What should I tell him?"

Azula turned away from her and stare out the window in silence.

Katara bent down and picked up her traveling bag. Once she had made up her mind to help Azula, that was all there was to it. If Nazumi was anywhere in Ba Sing Se, she would find him. In her own way, she was as stubborn as he was. "Azula… it's none of my business, but I think you're making a mistake. It's rare for people to get a second chance in life. If I were you, I'd quit feeling sorry for myself and make the most of it. Now tell me where he is."

* * *

Katara walked through the streets of the Lower Ring, trying not to play the role of the wide-eyed tourist. Though she had spent a fair amount of time living in the city, there was truth to the claim that people could be born in Ba Sing Se and never come close to seeing all of the wonders that the city had to offer. _Though I suppose the person who said that wasn't referring to this neighborhood. Azula, what kind of dump is your boyfriend holed up in?_

Azula had told Katara where to find Nazumi, and she had set out on foot right away. Azula had recommended that she take Ty Lee with her as protection, but Katara had brushed her suggestion aside, taking it as a slight to her skill as a bender. Now, looking at her surroundings, she almost wished she had listed to Azula. She was clearly in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, and even though it was midday, she would have appreciated someone to watch her back.

_The sooner I get out of here, the better I'll feel._ Eventually, she reached the address given to her by Azula, and saw it belonged to a run-down, oppressive building that matched the description she had been given. Sure enough, the large wooden doors at the building's face were slightly ajar, with a length of chain piled up at their side.

_I can't believe Nazumi grew up here. It doesn't look like an orphanage, it looks like a prison._ She couldn't help but feel grateful to have been born in the Southern Water Tribe. She and Sokka had been raised by their grandmother after their mother had been killed and their father had left to fight the Fire Nation, but she knew that if it had been necessary, any one of the other families would have taken them in and raised them as their own. The Water Tribes didn't abandon their children, a virtue apparently lacking in the Earth Kingdom.

Entering the building, she lit a torch hanging in a holder on one of the walls near the entrance. She briefly wondered how she would find Nazumi, or if he was even still here, but a small trail of blood on the floor settled that question in a rather morbid fashion. _Come on, Katara. You're not some helpless wallflower. You beat Azula, remember? There's no way a moldy old building is going to scare you off._

She followed the trail, and it eventually led to what used to be an infirmary. Hoping she wasn't too late, she pushed the door open and went inside, only to find herself looking down the barrel of a crossbow, said weapon being held in the hands of the person she was looking for. Nazumi was lying in a cot on the far side of the room, looking even weaker and more miserable than he had the last time she had seen him. His clothing, and the sheets he was lying on, were stained with blood, and his face was pale and perspiring.

She set the torch down in a wall holder. "You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask you... why they call you the Mouse?"

Nazumi coughed, never taking the crossbow off of her. "Because 'Nazumi the Lion' and 'Nazumi the Eagle' were already taken. You here to bring me in, lawman?"

She took her bag off and set it on the ground. "Nazumi, that thing isn't even loaded."

The thief scowled, and tossed the crossbow into the corner of the room. "I know. I stole it from a night watchman, but I could never get it to work right."

She smiled at his failed attempt at intimidation. "Afraid Zuko was going to find you?"

Nazumi shrugged. "Aw, Zuko isn't that bad a guy, all things considered. Besides, at worst Zuko would only kill me. I was afraid for a second that you were Paiko, but you guys took care of him. Right?"

Katara looked away, and played with her hair nervously. "Yeah... About Paiko..."

If possible, Nazumi became even paler. She could almost hear his teeth chattering. "You guys do have him, right? He didn't escape, did he?"

"He... he may have slipped away during the confusion. But-"

"Damn it, Katara!" He threw a pillow at her, which she casually sidestepped. "Can't you guys keep a hold of anyone? I understand if I escape, I'm a pro, but Paiko's just a thug!"

She held up her hands in a placating manner. "Don't worry, don't worry, we'll find him!"

"Sure, it won't be hard," he said, glaring at her. "He'll be the one parading around the Lower Ring with my head on a stick!"

Katara winced at the mental image, and began to realize why Nazumi would have need of a hideout.

Nazumi sank back down into the cot. "How'd you find me, anyway?"

"Azula told me."

Another pillow came soaring at her, and she barely had time to dodge this one. "Damn it! Didn't she learn anything I taught her?"

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her as if she was a child. "You never rat out your friends to the police."

"Azula didn't 'rat you out', Nazumi, and I'm not the police." She shook her finger at him, like she used to do when she scolded Sokka when they were growing up. "She was worried about you. She was afraid that you'd be bleeding to death, and that you'd be too stubborn to go get help. She asked me to find you so that I could heal you. Anyway, I have good news, too. She's been pardoned, by both Earth King Kuei and Zuko. She's a free woman."

Nazumi gave her a blank look, and she shrugged. "I know, I'm finding it hard to believe myself."

Nazumi pointed at the floor, where several blood-stained newspapers lay strewn about. "I know all about that, Katara. It's made the front page of every paper."

"I... thought you'd be happier to here about it."

Nazumi rolled onto his side, facing the wall. "I... I am happy. See? Happy."

Katara pursed her lips. _Something's bugging him, but first things first._ "Anyway, we can talk about that after I've healed you."

"No," Nazumi muttered over his shoulder.

"Come on, Nazumi, don't be a baby. It won't hurt."

"Don't worry about me. I'll survive," he said, his back still turned to her.

"There's more to life than survival, Mouse."

"That's where you're wrong!" he protested, turning back to face her. "Maybe that's what they taught you in your precious little village in the South Pole, with your snowmen, and your penguins, and your fancy boats! Here in the Lower Ring, we get taught a different lesson: survival is _everything_." He began to cough violently.

Katara waited for him to stop, rolling her eyes at his idealized description of her home. _He would be singing a different tune if he had to live through one of our winters._ "Then why did you come with us to the Devil's Breath? You could have escaped, could have gone to safety, but you didn't. I think you're braver than you give yourself credit for."

"I'm not brave. I'm a coward."

"Is that why you ran away? Did you think you were going to get arrested? Well, here's something to cheer you up." She tossed him a red envelope. As he opened it, she continued. "Before I left to come here, Iroh asked me to give this to you. He said it was for 'a job well done.' I still can't believe he cut a side deal with you."

Inside the envelope was a letter from Iroh, and two official looking documents, one with the official seal of the Fire Nation, and the other bearing the mark of the Earth Kingdom. Nazumi got halfway through the letter before he crumpled it up. He recalled what the old general had promised him if he agreed to bring Azula back safely: not what he wanted, but what he needed.

"Isn't it great?" Katara asked. "You've been pardoned too! You don't have to worry about getting arrested anymore!"

"Damn it, Katara!" This time, she was unable to dodge the pillow he threw at her, and it connected with her head before falling to the flow.

"What's wrong now?" she asked, more bewildered than angry. "How can _that_ be bad news?"

He looked at her heatedly, half-rising from the bed. "Katara, I've spent the last five years of my life making myself the most notorious thief this city's ever seen. Now, in one day, you've taken that away from me! I didn't ask to be pardoned! Don't you get it? Being the Mouse is all I've got! Without that, I'm nothing!"

"You have people who care about you. I thought you felt the same way."

The statement seemed to deflate Nazumi, and he slumped back down once more. "You _know_ how I feel about her, Katara. But I _can't."_

"Why not? I don't understand."

Nazumi groaned at her naiveté. "You _can't _understand. You live in a fantasy world! Katara, you're a war hero. Your boyfriend is the Avatar. _His_ best friend is the Fire Lord. _Your_ best friend is the inventor of metalbending. And you all hang out at a teashop owned by the Liberator of Ba Sing Se!"

"But what does-"

"Now look at Azula. She's the blasted princess of the whole damn Fire Nation! The most powerful Firebender in the history of... of... of fire! And me? The infamous Mouse? The big shot thief? I spent the first ten years of my life eating rat soup. There's a gutter in the Lower Ring with my impression in it because I slept there for three years straight. My idea of a good time is a midnight breaking and entering. Do you see where I'm going with this? I know when I'm out of my league."

"But why wasn't this a problem before?"

"Because before, Azula and I were both criminals! Now, she's a princess and I'm a nobody! I'm _less_ than a nobody."

Katara sat down on the bed and poked him gently through the covers. "You know, I wouldn't worry about what social circles you swim in. Compared to Azula, you're an upright citizen."

Nazumi turned his back to her once more, and buried his head under the covers, burrowing like his proverbial namesake. "I know you don't like her, but don't say that."

Katara could feel the beginnings of a headache forming, and wondered briefly why Toph or Sokka never got into situations like these. "You're right. I _don't _like her. That's why I can't believe I'm going to say this. But... Nazumi, you're not giving her enough credit. You should have seen how worried she was about you. She actually went so low as to ask _me _for help. _Me. _She considers me a peasant, and that's when she's feeling charitable. She doesn't care about whether you have a title or not, Nazumi, or how far back you can trace your family tree. She doesn't seem to care about much of anything anymore, except maybe for you. So quit being such a chicken, let me heal you, and let's-"

Nazumi dug deeper under the covers, as if his life depended on it. "No way. Uh-uh. I'm staying right here. You can take the boy out of the Lower Ring, but you can't take the Lower Ring out of the boy."

"That's it? That's your brilliant philosophy?"

"Katara, I... can't. It's safer this way."

"Safer. Right. You have no idea how perfect the two of you are for each other. You're both insane. So now what? You're going to hide out here for the rest of your life? Run away whenever things get tough?"

Nazumi didn't respond, and for a second Katara wondered if he had accidentally asphyxiated himself. Then, from deep underneath the blanket, she heard his muffled voice. "It's worked out for me so far. Love's a trap, Katara. It's the worst trap of all. That's how they get you in the end."

Katara stood up. "Well... I wish someone would have told Azula that. She seems to have fallen for it. Take care of yourself, Nazumi. It's what you're best at." She turned to the door and closed it behind her as she left. Nazumi may have been hurt, but he clearly wasn't dying. If he wanted to heal the old-fashioned way, she wouldn't try to stop him.

* * *

"-and I had to agree to share in the port fees coming from Taiko Island for the next ten years. There'll be hell to pay from the ministers back home. Despite his appearances, King Kuei's a pretty shrewd businessman. He got quite a lot out of me."

Zuko was sitting with Iroh in the common room of the Jasmine Dragon, explaining the final details of the trade agreements he had been forced to agree to in order to secure Azula's pardon. Around them, their friends occupied themselves with various activities, relishing their last night together before they went their separate ways once more.

Iroh rubbed his chin. "I would say we got a lot out of him as well. I'm proud of you, Zuko. I know it wasn't easy for you to do that."

Zuko ran his hand through his hair, slightly embarrassed at Iroh's words. Even though he had been Fire Lord for over a year now, he still valued his uncle's input, and prized his compliments, more than anyone else's. "He could have asked for ten times more and I would have given it to him. You know that, right?"

Iroh nodded. "I do."

Zuko looked into the fire roaring in the hearth in front of them. "I didn't tell Azula about that part, and I'd rather you didn't, either. Knowing her, she'd accuse me of buying her off."

Iroh's stomach grumbled and he reached for the cup of tea on the table in front of him. "I take it things are as cordial as ever between the two of you?"

"She looked physically ill when I asked her to come back home with me. She hates me, Uncle."

"No, she doesn't, Zuko," Iroh said between slurps. "She just needs time to figure things out."

"Well, I was thinking," Zuko said, stirring the fire with a poker, "if she doesn't want to come home, maybe I can stay with her. Help her to figure those things out. Watch out for her. The ministers can run the Fire Nation for me a bit longer."

Iroh set his cup down. "Zuko, you're the Fire Lord. You have responsibilities waiting for you back home. You can't just set them aside."

"But she's my sister, Uncle! She's more important than being Fire Lord! She needs me!"

Iroh said nothing at first, but gazed at his nephew with affection. _Ahhh, Ozai. If you could only see what a man your son has become. He has power that most people would kill for, and he would set it aside in a moment in order to help a sister who has given him little more than grief. But I don't think you'd approve of his decision. You would probably think he was being foolish. That's why he will be a better Fire Lord than you ever were._

Iroh smiled at his nephew. "Zuko, no one is disputing that. But the two of you could do with some time apart. I think you'll find your relationship will be better for it. Besides, your sister is more resilient than you give her credit for. She'll find her way."

Zuko nodded, but he was still scowling. "But where will she go, Uncle?"

"Well, as it so happens, I had a small talk with her about that. I offered for her to stay with me for a while, until she got her bearings. To my surprise and delight, she accepted."

Zuko looked at his uncle in shock. "She's going to stay _here? _In Ba Sing Se?"

Iroh shrugged, as if the idea seemed perfectly reasonable. "Why not? I have more than enough space, and this way she's still with family. I never got a chance to spend much time with her when she was a little girl. I look forward to rectifying that mistake. Besides, every now and then a rough crowd comes in here." He chuckled. "I figure I could use her as a bouncer."

Zuko groaned. He could see the Jasmine Dragon consumed by blue flames. "But Uncle, be reasonable. Azula may have been pardoned, but she's still the girl who conquered Ba Sing Se. She's the most hated person in the city!"

Iroh refilled his tea cup. "Zuko, I think you'll find that the people of the Earth Kingdom are a more forgiving lot than you realize. They're not the type to hold grudges, and Azula's recent actions to save the city will go a long way. Look at how they've accepted me, and I laid siege to Ba Sing Se for almost two years. Besides, the people here are a frank and sturdy bunch. I think your sister will fit right in."

"Fit in? Uncle, aside from you she doesn't know anyone here. At least back home, she would have Mai, and Ty Lee visits often enough. Here, she doesn't have any friends!"

They were interrupted by Toph, who tapped Iroh in the shoulder gently. "Sorry to barge in, Iroh, but he's here."

Zuko glanced at her in confusion. "Who's here?"

Suddenly, there was a rap at the front door, despite the tea shop being closed for the night.

Iroh winked at his nephew. "Don't sorry so much, Zuko. It will make your hair grey. Besides, I think you'll find Azula isn't quite as alone as you fear."

He got up, and walked over to the front door. Sliding it open, his broad face broke into a smile. "Well, well! Look what the cat's dragged in! I've been expecting you."

**Next: Mission Accomplished**


	23. Chapter 23: Mission Accomplished

**Author's Note: An anonymous reviewer (qwertyuiop) asked me if I ever read Harry Potter. When I was learning French I practiced by reading the first few books in French.  
**

**Previously: It's been a long road for Azula and Nazumi. The renegade princess and the back-alley thief have gone from being the world's most wanted fugitives to unlikely heroes. But in the aftermath of their battle with Koh, and with both of them pardoned, they are left to answer the most difficult question of all: what next?**

**Chapter 23: Mission Accomplished**

"Well, well! Look what the cat's dragged in! I've been expecting you."

Iroh smiled at his joke, his warm eyes laughing, but at that moment, Nazumi was having trouble appreciating the old general's sense of humor. Between the concussion he received after jumping from Appa in mid-air, nearly being sliced in two by Paiko, and being shot with lightning by Azula, it had been a rough few days. He had thought he was nearly recovered from his injuries, until he had gotten up to make the trip over to the Jasmine Dragon. A journey that should have taken him an hour on foot had lasted nearly half a day. He felt like there was an army of Kohs in his head, banging on his brain with their hundreds of tiny arms. Externally, he was faring slightly better. He was dressed in casual clothing that was slightly too big for him, liberated from a laundry line halfway between his hideout and the Jasmine Dragon. In his right hand was a motley assortment of flowers, generous if unknowingly donated by a neighborhood florist, which he held clutched as if they were a lifeline.

Nazumi's face approximated a weak grin, limited by the fact that even his face hurt. "Cat. Mouse. Get it. Good joke, sir." His words crawled out of his mouth one by one, as if each one cost him dearly.

Iroh let out a belly laugh. "Thank you, thank you. I've been meaning to try it out. Well, don't just stand there, come in, come in." He took hold of Nazumi's arm and yanked him inside.

Nazumi stumbled over his feet, thrown off balance at Iroh's exuberance, and barely managed to avoid falling over. "Thank you, sir. Where's Azula?"

Iroh gave him a friendly slap on the back, and Nazumi felt as if his spine was going to be forcibly expelled from out the front of his chest. Oblivious to his distress, Iroh congratulated him. "I'm very proud of you, young man. Very proud. And I hope you liked my little surprise for you. King Kuei was a bit resistant at first, but when I told him what you did..."

Nazumi winced at Iroh's idea of a 'reward', as well intentioned as it was, but nodded in affirmation. He had other fish to fry tonight. "Yes. Nice surprise. Much appreciated. Where's Azula?"

Suddenly, Nazumi was enveloped by a pair of pink-clad arms. In his dazed state, it took him several seconds to realize that they belonged to Ty Lee. Vaguely, he remembered something about her wanting to kill him, or at least severely hurt him. Ty Lee squealed in delight, ignoring the panic on Nazumi's face. "Nazumi! I was hoping you'd be here. I wanted to apologize for hitting you before. I didn't know what you were planning. You're not mad at me, are you?"

Muffled by the death grip Ty Lee had around his neck, Nazumi struggled to reply. "Not at all. Perfect misunderstanding. Where's Azula?"

No sooner than Nazumi managed to extricate himself from Ty Lee's hug was he was accosted by a grinning Sokka, who grabbed his free hand and shook it in greeting. "We were all worried about you. You didn't need to run off like that."

At this point, Nazumi began to fear that he was still trapped in the Spirit World, in an illusion of Koh's design, where he would be doomed to spend the rest of eternity asking "Where's Azula?" It was an insidious trap, but the Mouse was nothing if not persistent. After a few centuries, maybe Koh would relent.

"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to worry you. Where's-"

"I assume you're here for Azula?" Toph asked him innocently.

Nazumi blinked in surprise. "Yes," he croaked, with slightly more strength than he had been speaking with. Finally, he was getting somewhere. Maybe he had escaped Koh's clutches after all. He looked down at Toph. Wonderful Toph, kind Toph. The one person who seemed to understand what he was saying. She would help him.

Toph scratched her head, and kicked the ground with her foot. "I'm... I'm really sorry, Mouse-boy. I don't know how to say this, but... You just missed her. She's gone."

The world seemed to sway in front of Nazumi's eyes, the tea shop pitching and yawing as if it were a boat being tossed about by violent waves. Passing out was beginning to look like a viable option. But he had to know. "Gone?"

Toph squeezed his hand gently in commiseration. "Yeah. She got tired of waiting for you. She said something about making amends with the Northern Water Tribe for the destruction the Fire Nation caused during the war. She went up there to help them rebuild, at the North Pole."

Nazumi went silent, as he slowly processed this information. Eventually, the words traveled from his ears to his brain. This was followed by several long seconds of discussion between his right and left hemispheres as to which district the North Pole was in. The left hemisphere favored the University district, but the right was quite sure that the Merchant district was the correct one. They were both then humbled by the cerebellum, which notified them that, in actuality, the North Pole was quite a bit further away than that. Additional fact checking by the hemispheres revealed that, alas, this was in fact the case. After much apologizing, they fired a belated signal to Nazumi's mouth.

"Oh. OK. North Pole. OK." Without another word, he turned and began to head back out the door.

Toph held him back by his hand, starting to laugh. "Wait! Where are you going?"

Nazumi weakly tugged at her, trying to break free. "Gonna steal an airship. And a coat. Nice meeting all of you."

Katara slid the door shut, preventing Nazumi's escape. She glared at her friends. "Guys, this isn't funny!"

Zuko took Nazumi's shoulder, and led him away from the door. "Nazumi, wait. Toph was just joking. Azula hasn't gone anywhere. She's out back, in the courtyard."

Now Nazumi was well and truly confused. His eyes spinning in his head like tops, he looked at Zuko desperately. "No North Pole?"

"No," Zuko said firmly. "No North Pole. _Right_, Toph?"

By now Toph was doubled over with laughter, and had to catch her breath in order to respond. "Geez, Zuko, I'm just messing with him. I wish I could see his face!"

Nazumi put his hand to his forehead. Now he knew the truth. Not only was he trapped in the Spirit World, this little Earthbender girl was a powerful demon, tasked by Koh to punish him. That could be the only other explanation possible. No human being could be so cruel. "S'OK. Funny joke."

Toph sighed and regained her composure. She took Nazumi's hand again and began to lead him towards the back. "C'mon, ya big crybaby, I'll show you where she is."

Nazumi paused, and looked at Zuko. He realized that the last time he had seen the Fire Lord, he had, in the throes of anger, made some questionable comments to Zuko regarding his lineage, his hygiene and his overall level of intelligence. He also realized that after Azula, Zuko was the most powerful Firebender he knew. He quickly came to the conclusion that some form of damage control was in order. "I, ah, I may have said some things, back there in the mountains..."

Zuko shook his head, cutting him off. "Me too. Forget it." He held out his hand.

Nazumi shook it quickly, feeling relieved, and walked with Toph through the tea shop, towards the entrance to the courtyard in the back. From there, at the courtyard's far end, they could see Azula standing beside a small outdoor fire, staring into its flames. Seeing her, Nazumi felt a good measure of his strength returning, but with it came the doubts that had kept him away this long.

Toph could hear his heart galloping like a runaway racehorse, and figured he could use some kind words of encouragement. "Well, good luck. Don't blow it." She gave him a gentle shove towards Azula.

Nazumi ran his hands through his spiky hair, trying in vain to mat it down. "How do I look?"

Toph groaned internally, but forgave him this once for overlooking her blindness. "You look great from where I'm standing."

Nazumi, not realizing his mistake, let out a grateful sigh, and gave her a conspiratorial glance. "Thanks. Just between you and me, I'm a little nervous."

"Really? I had no idea. Listen, you'll be fine. Just remember to breath occasionally."

Nazumi nodded at her sage advice. "Right. Breath. Yes. Breathing's good." Just as he started to walk forward, she stopped him.

"Hey, Nazumi? If you tell anyone I said this, I'll deny it, but... Azula's really been beating herself up over what she did to you. So take it easy on her, OK?"

Nazumi hesitated, and then looked at her cautiously. "Did you just call me by my name?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Nazumi began to reconsider his opinion of her; maybe she _wasn't_ a demon. Maybe. "No more nicknames? Mouse-boy or Sir Squeaks-a-Lot?"

"Nah. No more nicknames." She punched him lightly in his shoulder. "I figure if you're going to be dating Azula, you're in for enough hurt as it is."

* * *

Azula watched the flames in front of her twist and dance, thinking of her recent conversation with her uncle. His offer to let her stay with him had been generous, but it wasn't a long-term solution. Her presence would only put him in danger, and even though Iroh was capable of taking care of himself, it was unacceptable to her. In addition, the idea of having him serve as her nursemaid, as if she was some invalid, was equally undesirable. No, she would let the dust settle, and then move on. _But to where?_

"Pondering the imponderables?"

Her heart skipped a beat, and not only from surprise. She whirled around, and tried to feign anger. "Damn it, Nazumi, I thought I told you to stop sneaking up on me!"

Nazumi limped towards her. "Sorry, I... I needed to see you."

She saw that he was about to fall over, and caught him, noticing with some alarm that he was barely holding himself up. "Katara told me you wouldn't let her heal you!"

Leaning heavily on her, he seemed to regain some of his strength. "S'alright," he said quietly, catching his breath. "It's just a scratch."

"People don't collapse from a scratch," she scolded. "What were you thinking? That was very foolish."

He slowly but deliberately brought his arms around her waist, and she stiffened reflexively. "No. Foolish was running off and leaving you."

Azula blushed. Nazumi was usually so skittish; she wasn't used to him being this forward. In point of pact, she wasn't used to _any_ boy being this forward. She always seemed to scare them off before it got to that point. Now, for the first time, someone had gotten past her barricade of veiled threats and barbed insults, and she honestly had no idea what to do. "You know, if you get blood on my clothing, I'll... I'll have to roast you." She winced. _Very good, Azula. Threaten him with bodily harm. Maybe for an encore you can suggest an Agni Kai as a first date._

But the prospect of being burned alive didn't seem to hold much terror for Nazumi. "It's OK. You tried that already. Your aim isn't that good."

At this, she couldn't help but laugh, and almost immediately, she felt the awkward tension around them dissipate. After facing down Koh, this wasn't so bad. She stepped on his foot gently with her own. "I'm not possessed anymore. And I'm better at close range."

"Mmmm. Close range sounds good." And with that, he brought her in closer, until her head was resting on his shoulder.

She half-heartedly tried to push him away. "Nazumi... don't be silly. Come on, let go of me. We'll go find Katara."

"Uh-uh. I don't want to."

She leaned back to look at him. "You don't want to be healed?"

"I don't want to let go."

She felt herself turn warm, and buried her face in the nape of his neck. He smelled of pitch black alleyways and white-knuckled danger, midnight missions and last-minute escapes. She knew then that she didn't want him to let go either. Despite this, she found herself protesting, though her resolve was growing weaker. For the first time in her life that she could remember, she wanted to lose. "Nazumi, you don't know what you're saying. You're delirious. Once Katara heals you, you'll realize what a bad idea this is."

"Another reason not to let her heal me."

She tightened her grip, even as she continued to argue. "It's too dangerous. You don't realize how many enemies I have."

He shrugged, as if he had thought of that already. "Then they're my enemies too."

"I'm serious. You don't what you're getting into. I'm nothing but trouble."

"Well, that works out fine, because I love trouble."

"But-"

"For years, I thought surviving was the most important thing in life. I was willing to do whatever it took, willing to walk away from anything... until I met you, Azula. It's not enough to just survive anymore. You're the one thing thing I can't live without, that I can't walk away from. You're worth taking on all the evil spirits, Fire Lords and Avatars in the world for."

He kissed her forehead, and she sighed, pulling him in tightly. By her reckoning, she had now surrendered twice in one week; not a good habit to get into, although this time was noticeably easier than the last. She felt like a weight was being lifted from her shoulders, one she hadn't known was there. When she had asked Katara for her help the other day, she had spoken from her heart: she _hadn't _trusted herself. She had suspected that, deep down, there was still something rotten about her, the same thing that had driven her mother away all those years ago. Now, being held by someone who loved her for who she was and not what title came before her name, she knew that not only wasn't it true, it had _never_ been true. She hadn't made her mother leave, hadn't made her father the way he was. They stood there in silence, holding onto each other as their future rushed towards them.

Looking over his shoulder, back at the tea shop, she thought she could see Iroh, watching them from the shadows. _Uncle. One would almost think you had this planned all along. The Princess and the Thief, indeed._ "My uncle told me he arranged for you to be pardoned. I'm sorry. I tried to tell him it wasn't what you wanted..."

If Nazumi had any lingering doubts about her feelings for him, they were banished at hearing those words. Only she knew him well enough to understand why he wouldn't have wanted a pardon. "It's OK. I got something better in return."

"Ho ho ho," she laughed as she leaned in, "the big bad thief is getting soft!"

He gave her a sideways glance. "Not at all. We could use a low profile for a while. Besides," he said, lowering his voice, "with what I've got planned, it won't last long."

She laughed again at his audacity. "Oh, no. I don't want to hear it. Didn't you get the news? I'm a good girl now."

"I'll believe that when Appa starts talking," he scoffed. "But, if you're not up to it..."

She pinched his ear. "All right, try me."

He grinned in excitement, like a child about to open his birthday presents a day early. "See, I haven't had a partner in a while. But like Iroh said, we make a good team. And I haven't been just resting on my back these last few days. I've been planning. See, with your firebending, and my brains-"

"That's a frightening concept," she murmured in his ear.

"-I mean, my experience, we could pick this town dry! We'll be the slickest pair of thieves Ba Sing Se has ever seen! And get this: we can be known as 'The Mouse and the Dragon'! What do you think?"

She stroked his hair, smiling, letting him twist in the wind a bit. She knew she'd have to bring him back down to earth eventually, but that could wait until tomorrow. She wasn't the only one who had changed during their journey. He just didn't know it yet. She didn't blame him; it wasn't easy. But she would help him. That's what friends did: they saved you from yourself when you needed it most. _Although... it could be fun. _"I don't know, Nazumi. It just doesn't seem right."

He began fidgeting. "What? It's perfect! How can-"

"Don't you think," she said slyly, "'The Dragon and The Mouse?' sounds better?"

* * *

"Nazumi, hurry up!"

Hearing the urgency in Azula's voice, Nazumi redoubled his efforts, looking around the office of the Jasmine Dragon frantically. Iroh was out of town on business and wasn't due to return to the store that day, and they were alone, but that wasn't the source of Azula's consternation.

"Nazumi, we're running out of time! Move it!"

"OK, OK," he muttered, more to himself than to her. He hated rushing blindly; it offended his sense of professionalism, and things always seemed to go wrong when he did. But he knew she was right. They couldn't dally here forever, or else the prize he was looking for would be useless to them. _C'mon, where are they? Where'd you hide them, Iroh?_

He spied a delicately carved wooden box buried under a mound of papers detailing next month's tea shipments. Opening it up with trepidation, he saw what he was looking for, and grabbed them hurriedly. He had seen his share of treasures in his day, but what he held in his hands now was more valuable to him than gold.

"Aha! Got 'em, Azula!" He dashed out to the main room, where he saw Azula waiting impatiently by the exit. Her hair was tied in back of her with a casual elegance, and she wore a simple dress of midnight blue, one that was both functional and flattering. Her only adornment was the platinum bracelet hanging off of her right wrist, the one he had bought for her during their first night out in Ba Sing Se, nearly one year ago to the day.

"It's about time! If we don't get out of here soon, we're finished!" Grabbing his arm, she pulled him out the door with so much force she almost dislocated his shoulder. Nazumi was barely able to shut the door behind him before they headed off into the city.

Even with his hand being crushed in a vice grip, Nazumi couldn't help but feel proud of Azula as she led them through the maze of streets that made up Ba Sing Se. It took most people years to figure their way around the city, but Azula had been paying attention during their frequent midnight forays. She even remembered all the shortcuts he had shown her.

Nazumi looked up at the setting sun. "We're not going to make it…"

Azula looked back at him with a dangerous smile, her face flushed with exertion. "That's unacceptable. We _have_ to make it, understand?" She pulled on him even harder as she picked up the pace. They rapidly made their way across the city, avoiding the crowded avenues for the sparsely populated back streets. They crossed through the various districts, and darted down a seemingly never-ending series of alley ways. Nazumi checked the horizon again. _It'll be close…_

"Azula! Nazumi! Stop!"

Hearing the familiar voice of Katara ring out, they froze in their tracks, thinking the same thing: _What is she doing here?_

Turning in unison, they saw Katara and Aang standing in back of them. Azula looked at them in apprehension and surprise. "Katara… Aang… I thought you were…"

"Don't worry," Katara said, smiling. "The others are already there, saving our seats. We're just running late." She looked over the two of them. "You look good, Azula. And you too, Nazumi. Life on the straight and narrow suits you."

Nazumi scratched his head in embarrassment. "Not so loud, Katara. I don't want anyone knowing I'm out of the game just yet. After tonight, my reputation's going to skyrocket."

Azula and Katara glanced at each other and simultaneously rolled their eyes in amusement. Even after a year, Nazumi found it hard to stay law-abiding. Old habits were hard to break. After the events of a year ago, Iroh had offered Nazumi a job at the Jasmine Dragon as his assistant, on the condition that Nazumi refrain from anything that would break his pardon. Iroh had figured that since part of the terms of his pardon was that Nazumi return all of his ill-gotten gains, the former thief could use a job. In actuality, while Nazumi had returned the lion's share of his stash, he had kept a sizable chunk for himself, hidden away in various parts of the city. In addition, he still maintained a couple of safe houses, as well as a half dozen sets of false identification papers, for both him and Azula. The way he figured it, one never knew when one would have to make a quick getaway. He knew their pardons were legal, and he trusted Fire Lord and the Earth King; he just didn't trust them _enough._

But despite this, Nazumi had decided to take Iroh up on his offer anyway. At first, he figured it would make a good cover for him. But he quickly grew to like the old general, and realized with surprise that he liked working for him, too. The fact that Azula spent so much time at the Jasmine Dragon helped as well. And over the last year, Iroh had become a sort of belated parental figure for the orphaned Nazumi. It hadn't been easy to change his ways, however. The tickets he held in his hand, which he had retrieved from the box in Iroh's office, were a present from the old general, for making it a whole year without getting into trouble.

Of course, everything came in degrees. If the occasional haughty nobleman's pocket got picked and was later found in the donation box of a Lower Ring orphanage, or the odd shipment of rare tea disappeared from a caravan, only to find its way into the kitchen of the Jasmine Dragon... well, that was all part of keeping up one's skills, really. Azula could turn a blind eye to that; she understood the need to practice. The majority of Nazumi's "misunderstandings" occurred in her presence, anyway. Once a week or so, they would go on a midnight tour of Ba Sing Se, sneaking into one of the city's dozens of museums, galleries or monuments after it had closed for the day. It was a completely foreign experience for Nazumi, who until this point had only appreciated art for the money it could be traded for. But with Azula as his guide, he began to see a beautiful new side to the city that had been his lifelong home.

Katara shook her head, and then considered Azula. At one time, the idea of the two of them having any kind of interaction that didn't end in blows would have seemed impossible. But Katara found herself forced to admit that Azula had changed over the last year, changed into someone that Katara found that she actually liked, even if she could still be a little bit intimidating. Her time away from the internecine politics of the Fire Nation court had smoothed the princess's rough edges, and given her the peace of mind only possible to those who had made a clean break from their past. She had realized, in the end, that she didn't need to be the Fire Lord in order to be loved, nor did she need to be invincible; it was better to be herself.

Nazumi and Aang quickly fell into conversation, and Katara and Azula fell back behind them. "How's the school going? Are your students coming along?" Katara asked her.

Azula blew away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face during their mad dash from Iroh's. "Hmph. To be honest, they're a bit rough around the edges. Little more than street samurai. But they'll come around."

Katara smiled to herself. _They'd better, if they know what's good for them. I'd hate to see her form of detention._

Even stranger than Nazumi's transformation into a relatively upright citizen had been Azula's metamorphosis into a teacher. The end of the war had brought a revitalization of commerce and communication between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, which meant that at any time, there were a substantial number of Firebenders within the walls of Ba Sing Se. Many of these were quite accomplished benders, and in the immediate period following Azula's pardon, not a week would go by without at least one of them seeking her out in order to test their skills against the infamous princess in a non-fatal Agni Kai. The city's top Earthbenders and swordsmen were also eager to challenge her, partly to experiment with the novel concept of "Agni Kai" that had been imported during the war, and partly to test their mettle against the dreaded Conqueror of Ba Sing Se. At first, Azula thought of these duels as a necessary nuisance, and would defeat her opponents as efficiently and painlessly as possible before sending them on their way, a bit bloodied but a bit wiser. After quickly compiling an unbroken string of victories, she figured that word spread of her skills and the challenges would stop. She was correct in this assumption, but only partially.

Having established her reputation as a master duelist, Firebenders then began to approach her, not to challenge her but to learn from her. This was nearly as big a nuisance to Azula as the frequent Agni Kais had been, but her sense of perfection and love of bending wouldn't let herself send them away without showing them at least one or two ways to improve their technique. These impromptu lessons were initially informal affairs, but as the number of benders requesting her instruction grew, it became necessary to organize official classes, and to rent a practice space. Again, this was initially limited to Firebenders in the city on unrelated business. But gradually, Azula began to notice that she was acquiring students whose only reason for traveling to Ba Sing Se was to study with her.

Thus was born the Blue Flame dojo. Unlike many dojos in the territory of the Fire Nation, rank, wealth, and reputation played no role in whether a prospective student was allowed to join. Talent and desire were the sole coins of the realm. Also unusual about the dojo was that it wasn't just limited to Firebenders. Earthbenders, Waterbenders, and swordsmen would also join in order to test their skills against one another, and the school's sifu as well. To the outside observer, the Blue Flame was a chaotic, unpredictable school of free-form combat whose only rule was that there were no rules, whose motto was that change was the only constant in life, and whose first lesson was that the ability to adapt was the prime virtue of a true warrior.

Katara had even visited the dojo a handful to times to demonstrate advanced waterbending techniques. It was a completely different experience than her own education at the more rigid school of waterbending she had attended in the Northern Water Tribe. There were no ranks and few formalities. Katara had even engaged in a friendly mock sparring match with Azula, something she would have believed unthinkable a year ago, for the benefit of the students. When Azula had overheard one of the newer students asking who this modest stranger was who dared challenge the school's sifu, Azula simply explained that Katara had been the one person who had ever bested her in single combat. After that, the students never questioned Katara's abilities again.

As they walked, Katara looked sideways at Azula. "It's... weird, isn't it? Us just talking like this, instead of..."

"Instead of trying to kill each other?" Azula arched her eyebrows. "The day isn't over yet." She looked at Katara, assuming a more serious expression. "I'm just joking, you know. I'll never forget what I owe you."

Katara shook her head. "And as I've told you, you don't owe me anything. I was glad to help, and I barely did anything anyway. You're even more stubborn than Nazumi."

Azula shrugged; it was a familiar topic of discussion for them. "No, just spoiled. When you're raised as a princess, you become used to getting your way."

"Well, I'm not looking for an argument." Katara said with a smile. "You've gotten even better at firebending than you were during the war. It seems like all you do is practice."

Azula gazed fondly at Nazumi, who was trying with limited success to balance on top of one of Aang's air scooters. "That's not _all_ I do. I have fun too. Besides, we both know we haven't seen the last of Koh."

Katara followed Azula's eyes towards the thief, who was now lamenting to Aang about how useful the scooter would have been in getting away from the City Watch. "Well, he certainly looks happy enough. Iroh hasn't started to bore him to death with his old war stories?"

Azula put on a feigned expression of exasperation. "Bored? Ha! He worships Iroh, can't get enough of him. Poor boy's never had any law-abiding role models before. He's even started drinking tea."

"And you? You're happy?"

Azula hesitated before answering. The question seemed odd coming out of Katara's mouth, even after all these months. "Yes. More than I've a right to be."

"Speaking of your firebending, have you given any thought to going to train with the Sun Warriors? I'm sure Zuko could arrange an introduction."

_Zuko._ Azula's face inadvertently clouded over at the mention of her brother's name. "No, I don't think so. My place is here. Besides," she said with a smirk, pointing her thumb at her chest, "they're firebending's past. _I'm_ it's future."

Katara smiled at Azula's boast. She knew the princess was joking, but only partly. In truth, her firebending had grown in leaps and bounds over the past year. Released from the expectations of her father or the dogmatic adherence to tradition that had guided her past training, Azula had begun experimenting with firebending with a heartfelt abandon, developing new techniques remarkable for their audacity and originality.

"You don't miss the palace? All those fancy parties? The extravagant clothing?"

Now it was Azula's turn to grin. "Did our _honorable_ Fire Lord put you up to this? If he did, it won't work. He wanted the throne, well now he's stuck with it. It, and all of the headaches it brings with it. I told him he'd wish that I had won our Agni Kai."

But Katara had also seen the effect that Zuko's name had on Azula. "I don't mean to pry, but... How is it we've managed to make peace, but you and your brother are still so far apart? He told me you haven't seen each other since our little adventure with Koh."

They walked in silence, and Azula pursed her lips. Finally, she replied. "It's not Zuko, it's what he represents. The war, home, being locked up in that hospital, all of that. Whenever I look at him, all I see is my father's face. It's... difficult. We write to each other. That's enough for now."

"You know he'll be there tonight, don't you?"

Azula gave a curt nod. "I do."

"And you're OK with that?"

At this, Azula smiled, and felt relaxed once more. Katara never failed to amaze her. _She's actually worried for me, and not about me. _"Don't worry, I won't do anything to ruin Nazumi's big night."

Over the course of their conversation, they had reached their destination. Turning the corner, they found themselves in front of the Royal Theater. Navigating their way through the crowd out front, they made their way to the box office. Giving their tickets to the teller, they went inside, passing under the large sign that read, in bright red letters:

Grand Opening

"The Princess and the Thief"

By the Ember Island Players

Together, they worked their way down the aisles, until they saw their friends located in the front row. They were all there, waiting for them. Seeing their arrival, Ty Lee patted the two empty seats next to her. "Right here, Azula," she said. As Azula slid past her, Ty Lee whispered mischievously in her ear, "I figured you'd want to sit next to Nazumi so you two could hold hands at the scary parts."

Ty Lee giggled at her friend's attempt to hide her embarrassment, and Azula plopped down in the seat, grumbling. Nazumi slid in between the two of them, and nodded in approval at the seating arrangements. "Hey, TL. Good to see you. Wow, I'm sitting next to _two_ beautiful ladies. Life doesn't get better than this!"

As Ty Lee giggled, Azula arched an eyebrow at him and elbowed him in his side. "If you're done being smooth, Mr. Big Shot, can they start the play?"

"Actually, Azula, I was wondering if we could have a word."

Azula felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end at the sound of her brother's voice. Nazumi saw her discomfort, and squeezed her hand gently. In his eyes, she saw the silent question: _Do you want to get out of here?_

She shook her head, and reluctantly stood up. Turning around to face her brother, she was startled at how much like their father he looked. Once again, his clothing was subtle for a head of state, but if his scar didn't give him away as the Fire Lord, his honor guard surely did. Azula could feel the stares of the crowd on them.

"Certainly,_ my lord_," she said, her voice containing the barest hint of sarcasm."Let's find a little privacy, shall we?"

They walked out into the hallway together. Once they were relatively alone, she turned to him. Despite herself, she found that she was glad he had come. She knew that he had nominally come to Ba Sing Se on business with the Earth King, but that the real reason was to see her. They had both been putting off this meeting. He was far too busy to make personal trips to the Earth kingdom, and she had steadfastly refused to set foot in the Fire Nation, at least for now. "It's good to see you, brother."

Zuko smiled at her wearily. "You're not just saying that?"

She eyed him carefully, as if he was ill. "All that power is making you paranoid, Fire Lord. Careful, the next thing you know you'll start banishing people."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, it is. If you start having hallucinations of our parents, it's already too late."

"Just stop me if I start to cut off all my hair."

Azula looked at him with exaggerated surprise. "Brother, did you just make a joke?"

He smirked at her. "I'm full of surprises. Speaking of surprises... I've decided to commute Father's sentence. With the war over for over two years now, and the Fire Nation finally stable, there's not much trouble he can cause. I'll still keep an eye on him, and he'll be restricted to the palace, but it feels wrong, keeping him locked up like that."

Azula's eyes slightly widened in surprise. She knew how difficult it would be for him to do that. "Are you asking for my permission?"

"No, Azula, I'm asking for your opinion."

She nodded. "Zuko, I think that every minute Father's spent in that cell, you've been right there with him. It's the right thing to do. We can't keep our past sealed away forever. At some point, we have to face it."

Zuko nodded in satisfaction. "I'm glad you agree. I gave the order yesterday, before I left to come here."

Now Azula's surprise was genuine. "You're getting devious."

Zuko ignored her statement, which had been meant as a compliment. "He asks about you, sometimes. Of course, he'll never be allowed into the Earth Kingdom..."

Azula turned away and looked down the aisle at nothing in particular. "Zuko, if this is another ploy to get me to come visit home, forget it. I'm not ready to face Father just yet. Give me a few decades. Just... tell him I ran away and joined the circus with Ty Lee, or something."

Zuko coughed gently in embarrassment. "Actually, I think he's hoping to marry you off to some nobleman."

Azula's irritation replaced her discomfort at discussing their father. Only Ozai would try to manipulate her from a jail cell. "Tell him I'm off the market, thank you very much. Nazumi's worth ten of your noblemen."

"I don't doubt it," he chuckled. "I like him. You two are good together."

"Hold it right there," she said, holding up her hands to silence him. "I refuse to discuss my love life with my brother. We're supposed to be estranged, remember?"

A crafty look appeared on Zuko's face. "I know Nazumi's been... retired since last year. But I was thinking, I could use someone with his skills from time to time. Someone who could get in and out of places, who knows how to stay out of sight."

Azula crossed her arms in front of her, inadvertently forming a wall. "I know where this is going. Forget it, Zuko."

"He could do a lot of good-"

"I said, forget it!" Her voice was just shy of a shout, and several people turned to look at them. Lowering her volume only slightly, she jabbed a finger into his chest. "I won't let you get your talons into him. Nazumi's too smart to go off playing hero at your command. You'll have to find some idealistic fool back home to do your spying for you. Maybe one of your precious _noblemen_. Besides," she said, her voice softening, "I think you've underestimated what a lazybones he can be."

"If you're so sure, you wouldn't mind if I ask him directly?" he said, his eyes with a knowing look. "Everyone has a price."

She shrugged her shoulders. For all her brother's new found skills as a head of state, he had yet to learn that some things would always be beyond his grasp. "Go ahead, Fire Lord. I think you'll find he has no interest in anything _you _have to offer him."

Zuko hesitated, and then nodded, admitting defeat, at least for now. "Another thing. I... I found Mom."

Azula rolled her eyes, eager to leave the previous topic behind them. "Zuko, not again. Every few months, you hear a rumor, and get your hopes up, and then it turns out to be a hoax, or a case of mistaken identity. Then you're miserable for weeks on end. If she wanted to be found, she'd contact you."

"No, that's just it... she _did_."

Azula's mind went blank, and her mouth fell open slightly. "Oh."

"She wrote me three weeks ago. She wanted to wait until I had settled in as Fire Lord and until she was sure your pardon was for real before contacting us, since she's technically still a criminal."

An anger fueled by panic flared up in Azula's chest, and her voice became as icy as a winter storm. "And you're telling me this _now?_"

Zuko shrugged; he knew his sister would react poorly to the news, and there was nothing to do but get it over with as quickly as possible. "I wanted to tell you in person. She's been living in one of the rural areas of the eastern Earth Kingdom. I told her I was coming here, so we figured we'd meet halfway."

Azula paused, and held her hand to her suddenly painful head. "She coming _here?_ To Ba Sing Se?"

"I figured it was the only way I'd get the two of you together."

Azula glared at him through eyes that were no more than slits. "Very clever, Zuzu. Very clever."

"Come on, Azula," Zuko said, somewhat apologetically. "You don't still blame her for leaving us, do you?"

In a flash, Azula brought up her hand to strike him, but checked herself in time. "I never did, you-!" Dropping her hand, she struggled to control her anger at her brother's question. She shook her head at his obtuseness. "I never blamed _her_, Zuko. I blamed _myself_. At least, I used to."

"What? How could you think that?"

She smiled ruefully. "Because I was an idiot. Something that seems to run in our family!"

Zuko smiled sadly. "Well, we didn't get it from Mom's side. Must be linked to our firebending."

"I suppose you're right. When is she supposed to get here?"

"In a few days. Look, I'm sorry I surprised you like this. I guess it seemed like a better plan in my head."

Azula dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. "Forget it. I'm overreacting, as usual."

"Does that mean you'll meet with her?"

"I don't know."

"I thought you said that we should be facing our past."

Azula winced. Her brother had developed the irritating habit of hearing only what he _wanted _to hear. It was another thing that reminded her of their father. "Zuko! Enough! You're making me wish Koh was here!"

Zuko smiled, and pointed back towards the stage. "Odd place to say that. If you're patient, I think he'll be by in the second act."

She sighed, and ran her hand through her hair. There was no use getting angry about it. "Listen, I... I'm sorry. I'll meet with her. I promise. Now can we please just sit down and enjoy this play? I hear the girl who plays me is really good, and I think you've tortured me enough for one evening."

They returned to their seats, and Nazumi glanced at her. "Everything OK? You look upset."

She curled up around his arm, and wrapped her fingers around his. "It's nothing. My brother wants you to work for him."

Nazumi shook his head stubbornly. "Uh-uh. Not a chance. I'm done with that hero stuff. All that getting stabbed, and electrocuted, and falling from flying sky bison. And all that traveling! No way, I'm through with that." He looked at her cautiously. "Unless you want me to..."

Azula shook her head slightly, and smiled to herself, pleased that her previous assessment of Nazumi had been correct. Zuko could dangle titles and honorifics in front of Nazumi until he was blue in the face, and Nazumi wouldn't bat an eye. But if Azula needed him to, he'd go to the ends of the earth and back. It would be no more than he'd done for her in the past. "No, I don't. I wouldn't dream of spoiling your retirement, or dragging you away from the Jasmine Dragon. Oh, and my mom's coming to visit."

Nazumi stiffened, and he felt the blood rush out of his face. "Your... mom? Hmmm. Um, maybe I should take that job. You know, get out of town for awhile..."

Azula pinched his side in protest, and began to laugh silently. "No you don't. You're not getting out of this that easily. If I have to meet with her, so do you."

He gulped. "I feel like I'd rather face down Koh again."

She kissed him on the cheek. "Relax. Just consider her a warm-up for when you meet my dad."

Nazumi choked, but before he could protest, a man stepped onto the main stage, illuminated by a light from above. "Thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first performance of 'The Princess and the Thief.' This is the first time the Ember Island Players have been invited to perform in your fair city, and we're grateful for the opportunity. Tonight, we present to you a story of danger, of excitement, of betrayal, and of love. Witness, the plight of the beautiful, helpless princess as she is kidnapped from her native land!"

A loud cheer went up among the crowd, and Azula buried her face in her hands in mock embarrassment.

The announcer continued. "See the black-hearted brigand who spirited her away from her home, into the evil clutches of Koh!"

From the row behind them, Toph muttered her surprise. "Black-hearted brigand? Really?"

Azula turned around to face her. "I know. He paid them to say that."

Meanwhile, the crowd began to boo and hiss, and Nazumi lifted up his arms in triumph, encouraging their vitriol, basking in his status as the villain. At long last, his reputation was complete.

Once again, the announcer's voice boomed out across the auditorium. "Quake in fear at the heinous power of Koh and his demonic servants!"

At this, Azula, Nazumi, and the rest of their friends all began booing in unison, in between laughter, along with the rest of the crowd.

With a final flourish, the announcer concluded his introduction. "And now, without further ado, I proudly present to you... 'The Princess and the Thief!'"

As he said these last words, the lights dimmed, and Katara glanced over at Azula and Nazumi. She was mildly amused to see that Nazumi had taken advantage of the darkness to slip a gentle arm around Azula's shoulders. Azula, who normally eschewed obvious public displays of affection, had even relented, and was leaning her head softly on his shoulder. Katara smiled lightly, and turned back to the stage. Suddenly, the curtains came up, revealing an empty Earth Nation saloon at night, its darkest corner occupied by a table around which sat two sinister-looking men, their faces illuminated by a single candle. As a hush fell over the room, Katara waited in anticipation for what would follow.

**THE END**

**Well, that's a wrap. Big thanks to:  
****  
-Michal Dante Martino and Bryan Konietzko, for making this great sandbox for us to play in  
-Another Duck for his great editing (Seriously, I wince when I read the early chapters before he jumped on board. AD, just to show what a noob I am, I didn't even know what a Beta Reader was when you first offered to help me out.)****  
-Everyone who took the time to read my little ditty  
-Fanfiction for making such a cool community and giving us amateurs the chance to mess around**

**Whew. ****When I started this****, I had no idea it that it would take me four months to finish. I figured ten, twelve chapters tops, and that I'd be done in a month. Then that pesky Nazumi kept prodding me on, telling me that he needed my help to make it into the Top Ten Most Wanted List, and whenever I would try to stop Azula would mutter something about me not being fireproof. I also underestimated how much fun it would be, especially that first review I got when I realized that other people were actually reading this! I wish I could have worked Nazumi's former gang into the story more, as well as an all-out fight between Azula and the Gaang (that at least partially made it in, as Azula's mental battle plan when she's confronted by them after defeating Koh; for the record, she would have wiped the floor with 'em!) I think I had the most fun coming up with the chapter titles; my personal favorite was Down and Out in Ba Sing Se (thank you, George Orwell!) Well, to everyone who's made it this far, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I truly appreciated every single review, and I look forward to reading your stories in the future.**

**See ya.**


	24. Chapter 24: To Be Continued

**Azula: Hey, I almost forgot… Did I ever tell you about what happened at my brother's wedding?**

**Me: Uh, no, I can't say you did.**

**Azula: Oh! Well, it's a great story. See…**

**Me: Um, not to be rude, Azula, but I have a lot of work to do. Maybe we can talk about it a bit later, OK?**

**Azula: Oh. OK. That's fine. I hear they're doing wonderful things in the fields of burn care lately.**

**Me: But-**

**Azula: And a few skin grafts shouldn't be too painful.**

**Me: But-**

**Azula: I promise, nothing worse than second degree burns… although I do get carried away sometimes.**

**Me: "Sigh" What were you were saying about your brother's wedding?

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**The Princess and The Thief, Part II: Ozai's Revenge**

**January 2009  


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